Goethe Tower, Wooden observation tower in Sachsenhausen, Frankfurt, Germany
Goethe Tower is a 43-metre wooden observation tower at the northern edge of Frankfurt City Forest in Sachsenhausen. Its square base measures 8.4 metres per side, with sandstone-clad corner foundations and a timber frame that tapers to a covered 6-by-6-metre platform at 39.5 metres. The 196-step staircase winds up through twelve intermediate landings fitted with wooden benches.
The tower was built in 1931 using funds from Gustav Gerst and wood donated by the city. Fire destroyed it in 2017, but following reconstruction between 2019 and 2020, it reopened for visitors.
The tower bears the name of the famous poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and stands in a location that was long a popular destination for city visitors. The surrounding area still shows traces of this historical visiting tradition, where families and friends would come to enjoy the view.
The tower is open from 1 April to 31 October, daily from 8 am. The 196 steps lead to a covered 6-by-6-metre platform, so rain does not stop the climb. At its foot lies the 3-hectare Spielpark Goetheturm with a giant slide, a paddling pool and a maze of GrünGürtel animals, plus a garden café next door.
Until 1999, this wooden structure was Germany's tallest publicly accessible wooden building and rested on massive sandstone foundations at each corner. This made it a milestone in timber construction of that era.
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