Prussian semaphore system, telegraphic communications system used between Berlin and the Rhine Province from 1832 to 1849
The Prussian semaphore system was a network of towers that transmitted messages across long distances using movable arms. The towers were strategically positioned across the landscape and could relay optical signals from one station to the next within minutes.
The system emerged in the early 19th century as a revolutionary communication technology before the telegraph. It played an important role in military coordination and the administration of the Prussian state across large distances.
The remaining structures are located at various sites across Germany and are often accessible from the outside. Researching individual tower locations beforehand helps you understand their positions and how they connected to each other.
Each tower could only communicate with its immediate neighbors, meaning messages were passed like a chain from tower to tower. This simple system worked reliably and could send information faster than any other contemporary method.
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