Rottweil elevator test tower, Elevator test tower in Rottweil, Germany
The Rottweil elevator test tower is a 246-meter white structure in Rottweil that contains ten shafts used for both research and public access. The facility includes a glass panoramic lift that carries visitors upward and a separate fire brigade shaft for emergency purposes.
The structure opened in October 2017 after three years of construction and serves as a research center for vertical transport systems. ThyssenKrupp uses the facility to advance lift technology for future tall buildings.
The facility serves as a working research site where engineers develop new lift systems in real conditions. Visitors ride up in a glass cabin that offers views over the town and surrounding countryside while the tower continues its daily testing operations.
The observation deck opens Friday through Sunday, with the last lift departing 30 minutes before closing at 6 PM, except Saturdays until 8 PM. During weekdays the facility remains closed to visitors as it operates exclusively for testing purposes.
The facility allows cabins to reach speeds of 60 kilometers per hour (37 miles per hour) during tests, helping develop technology for future skyscrapers. Architects Helmut Jahn and Werner Sobek received the Balthasar Neumann Prize in 2018 for the engineering achievement behind the design.
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