Located in the Frankfurt City Forest (Frankfurter Stadtwald), the Goetheturm tower offers panoramic views of the forest and the city skyline. Unfortunately, the original tower was destroyed in a fire in 2017, but it has since been rebuilt and reopened to the public.
It struck the people of Frankfurt to the core when, in an October night in 2017, the Goetheturm fell victim to arson. With the completely burned-down wooden observation tower in the Goetheturm forest playground, a landmark and thus a piece of Frankfurt’s identity had been destroyed. Therefore, it quickly became clear to the citizens and the city’s politicians: We will rebuild the Goetheturm! Many dedicated Frankfurters donated money to realize the project quickly. Since spring 2021, the new Goetheturm has been accessible to the public. For safety reasons, the new Goetheturm – like the old one – remains closed in autumn and winter.
In an online survey conducted immediately after the fire, a clear majority (78 percent) of Frankfurt’s citizens voted to rebuild the 43.3-meter-high tower as faithfully as possible to the original. Optically, it is now hardly distinguishable from its predecessor, but the slightly modified structure meets current building regulations and will, unlike the destroyed original, be better maintained and renovated in the future.
In 1931, about 340 cubic meters of pine, beech, and oak wood from the city forest were used for the predecessor. The current Goetheturm, with a footprint of nine by nine meters, is made of sweet chestnut from southern France and northern Spain as well as oak from the Black Forest – these woods were chosen for their better durability. To protect against moisture, numerous steel elements were also installed in the new construction to keep future renovation costs in check. The old Goetheturm had to be extensively renovated from 2010 to 2014 for around 530,000 euros.
The new Goetheturm cost 2.4 million euros, most of which was paid by insurance. Thanks to donations from citizens and companies, the surroundings of the tower can also be made attractive again. Topping-out ceremony was celebrated in July 2020.
Already in 1867, a wooden tower stood at the same location, but it was only 22 meters high. After the First World War, the wooden structure was demolished. In November 1931, the Goetheturm, the beloved excursion destination named after Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, was inaugurated – shortly before the Goethe Year 1932, the 100th anniversary of the Frankfurt poet’s death.
With its 196 steps and a height of 43.3 meters, the original Goetheturm was considered the tallest publicly accessible wooden structure in Germany until 1999.
Own or work here?