Grunewaldturm

In the leafy western part of Berlin, right in the middle of Grunewald Forest is a tower 55 metres tall. Up on its viewing platform you have a glorious view of woods, fields and water – the ideal spot to take photos.

The tower is not just a delight for fans of Brick Gothic architecture. 36 metres above the ground there is a viewing platform. After climbing 204 steps you are rewarded a view of the Havel, Wannsee and Grunewald. If you prefer to have your feet on solid ground, you can admire August Oetken’s Neo-Byzantine mosaic on the ceiling of the memorial hall. The memorial hall on the ground floor contains a life-sized statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I. Alongside the statue at the foot of a tower, there is also a restaurant waiting for you.

Construction of the Grunewaldturm

In 1897, the council of the district of Teltow decided that a memorial should be built for the King of Prussia and Emperor of Germany Wilhelm I, who had died in 1888. The architect Franz Schwechten was commissioned to design the building on the hill known as Karlsberg. The reigning emperor Wilhelm II, the grandson of Wilhelm I, approved the design and construction began in 1897. The tower was opened just before the turn of the century on 9 June 1899.

About the name

In the original plans from Teltow, the new building was called the “König-Wilhelm-Turm”, and there is still an inscription on it today “in memory of the King”. However, after it was completed, the King’s grandson referred to it in his congratulatory telegram as the “Kaiser-Wilhelm-Turm”. After all, the German Empire had existed since 1871.

After the Second World War, the monument was renamed the Grunewaldturm, and is still called that today.

Our tip – a day trip to the Grunewald

Beautifully located by the river, the Grunewald forest is the perfect place for a long walk or a bicycle tour. And if you do that, you’ve got to see the tower. Other great ideas on a day trip to the Grunewald are a visit to the hunting lodge and a ferry trip to the island of Lindwerder.