Felsberg, Mountain summit in Odenwald, Germany.
The Felsberg is a 514 m high hill in the Odenwald near Reichenbach, formed of quartz diorite. Its south-east slope holds the Lautertal Felsenmeer, a field of large rounded blocks created by wool sack weathering, and the 27 m Ohlyturm, a granite lookout tower modelled on medieval castles.
The Romans quarried diorite columns on the Felsberg's slopes, and the Lautertal Felsenmeer below the summit preserves blocks they worked. The stone Ohlyturm near the top, designed by Darmstadt architect Georg Scherer, was inaugurated on 6 October 1901; it is named after former Darmstadt mayor Christian Karl Albrecht Ohly, for whom a wooden tower had been built in 1891 at Schnellerts.
The Ohlyturm is named after Christian Karl Albrecht Ohly, a former mayor of Darmstadt; the Odenwald Club's Darmstadt branch had a 12-metre wooden tower built in his honour in 1891 at Burg Schnellerts, but it was later demolished as unsafe. The present granite tower on the Felsberg, designed by Darmstadt architect Georg Scherer, was inaugurated on 6 October 1901 and is listed as a cultural monument.
Marked hiking trails lead upward from a parking area near Reichenbach, with signs indicating distances and elevation changes along the way. Sturdy footwear is recommended and it is wise to check the weather before starting your walk.
The Ohlyturm, a 27-metre granite lookout tower built to plans by Darmstadt architect Georg Scherer and inaugurated on 6 October 1901, stands just south-southeast of the summit. It is named after former Darmstadt mayor Christian Karl Albrecht Ohly and has long been unsafe to enter; in 2007 it was bought by a British investor.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,048 contributors worldwide.