Flatow Tower, Potsdam, Germany
N 52° 24.266 E 013° 05.137
33U E 369770 N 5807746
Quick Description: Neo-gothic tower overlooking the town of Potsdam, Germany
Location: Germany
Date Posted: 2/16/2009 8:44:32 PM
Waymark Code: WM5VMV
Views: 1
Long Description:This is the highest peak in Babelsberg Park, a park adjacent to
http://www.potsdam.de/cms/beitrag/10001022/34080/>Babelsberg
Palace, once the summer residence of German Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm
I. Until 1848, a windmill was located here. After the mill burned
down, Architect
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Heinrich_Strack>Johann
Heinrich Strack designed a 151 feet high tower in neo-gothic style,
based on the
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eschenheimer_Turm>Eschenhein Tower
in Frankfurt/Main. The tower was built between 1853 and 1856 using
stones from a former princely estate in Western Prussia, named
Flatow. It was eventually named after the estate. Originally, the
tower was protected by a draw bridge and a number of canons and was
adorned by statues of medieval lansquenets. Everything except the
tower itself was destroyed in the final battles of World War II and
the tower remained a ruin for many years after the war.
During the communist years, it was illegal to climb the tower
because it offered a great view over Potsdam and West Berlin and
the Wall between the two cities. It would have been the perfect
place to plan an escape from East Germany.
Shortly after German reunification, the Tower was restored to
its old beauty. It is now
http://www.potsdam.de/cms/beitrag/10001022/34080/>open to the
public every weekend between April 1 and October 15 and offers the
best view over the town and the parks and lakes surrounding it.
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