Burschenschaftsdenkmal, Monument on Göpelskuppe hill in Eisenach, Germany

The Burschenschaftsdenkmal is a circular stone structure on Göpelskuppe hill that rises roughly 33 meters high, surrounded by nine supporting columns. These columns hold an architrave carved with text, and inside visitors find statues of German figures from the period.

Plans for a fraternity memorial in Eisenach date to June 1870, when a committee collected donations for a life-size Luther statue. After 1871 the aim widened to honour all who worked for German unification. The 33-metre design by architect Wilhelm Kreis was inaugurated on 22 May 1902, after a storm had collapsed the structure under construction; the total cost was about 250,000 marks.

The monument was conceived as a national memorial of the Deutsche Burschenschaft, and its 1902 inauguration became a general German fraternity festival attended by corporations from technical universities and Austrian Burschenschaften. A congratulatory telegram to Kaiser Wilhelm II, himself a corps student, received only a cool reply, after which the associations sent no further addresses of loyalty until 1915 and instead intensified their veneration of Bismarck.

The site sits at the top of a hill and is reachable on foot, with parking available for those arriving by car. Wearing comfortable shoes is a good idea since the climb is steep, though the view from the top makes the effort worthwhile.

The interior ceiling painting by Otto Gussmann depicts the Norse gods' battle against dark demons. It was restored in 2006, not 2007, after window bricking in the GDR era had blocked ventilation and damaged it. The monument was also slated for demolition and later proposed as a public observatory.