Hof 1, Telecommunications tower in Waldstein region, Germany

Hof 1 is a transmission site on the Großer Waldstein, operated by Deutsche Funkturm, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom AG. Its antenna carrier is a guyed steel lattice mast, 133 metres tall when built in 1963 and now 100 metres after the TV antennas were removed. The mast has platforms for directional radio antennas at heights of 30, 35 and 60 metres.

Construction began in the latter half of the 1900s when Germany was expanding its telecommunications network nationwide. The Deutsche Bundespost built it to ensure signal coverage reached this mountainous area.

The tower marks how technology became part of the forest landscape over time. People moving through the region encounter it as a familiar landmark that has shaped local communication for decades.

The site stands on the Großer Waldstein, a hill in the Fichtel Mountains near Hof. The mast is a fenced technical installation run by Deutsche Funkturm, so visitors view it from the surrounding forest trails rather than entering the compound. The 100-metre lattice mast is reached on foot; there is no public lift or viewing platform.

From its location, the tower offers unexpected views across the Fichtel Mountains landscape that many visitors overlook as they pass by. It serves as an unintended landmark for anyone exploring the forest trails in the area.