Wartturm (beeches in the Odenwald)

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Watch tower in beeches

The watch tower in Buchen (Odenwald) , a town in the Neckar-Odenwald district in Baden-Württemberg , is about a kilometer southeast of the city center on the Wartberg ( 394  m above sea  level ). The watch tower is a protected cultural monument .

History and description

Platform facing west-south-west

According to the building inscription, the watch tower was built or renovated in 1490. It was used for observation in order to be able to warn the residents of the fortified city of Buchen of approaching enemy troops in times of war.

The tower is made of sandstone - rubble stones . A five meter high, circular substructure with a diameter of five meters is a nine meter high, only 4.40 meter thick superstructure. At the height of the landing is the originally pointed arch entrance, which previously could only be reached with a ladder. A machicolation is attached above . A hunting border map from 1593 shows the watchtower with a round pointed roof.

In 1894 the tower was extensively repaired. An entrance to the ground floor was broken and a spiral staircase was built in so that visitors could climb the tower. Above the tower was provided with a platform at a height of 14 meters with a (not historical) pinnacle crown . The total height with parapet is 15 meters. A first renewal took place in 1958. As early as 2000, the now dilapidated tower had to be completely renovated. From the platform of the tower, which is owned by the city, there is a comprehensive panoramic view.

The magazine Der Wartturm , published in Buchen, is named after the watch tower .

opening hours

The watch tower is usually open for ascent from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the weekends from April to October.

See also

Web links

Commons : Wartturm (Buchen im Odenwald)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Hunting border map from 1593, Baden-Württemberg State Archives , General State Archives Karlsruhe
  2. ↑ Photo of the construction drawing on the information board on the tower, on Commons

Coordinates: 49 ° 30 ′ 50.6 ″  N , 9 ° 20 ′ 7.3 ″  E