Meerhardtturm, Observation tower in Gummersbach, Germany.

Meerhardtturm is an observation tower built in 1908 as an artificial ruin on the 291-metre Meerhardt hill above Dieringhausen, a district of Gummersbach. Its official name is Aussichtsturm Ruine Meerhardtfels. The tower offers a view over Dieringhausen and the Agger valley.

The tower was built in 1908 on Meerhardt hill above his factory at the wish of textile manufacturer Karl Siebel. In May 1906 the property rights passed to the Gemeinnützige Verein Dieringhausen und Umgebung on condition that the tower be completed; the mason Prinz received the contract, and his invoice of 21 August 1908 records construction costs of 1511.09 Mark. The city of Gummersbach, the association and the Dieringhauser Bauverein renovated it in 2003.

The tower follows the style of English landscape gardens and displays the medieval forms that were popular during the German Empire period. As you walk up the hill, you can clearly see how the architecture reflects the romanticism of that era.

The shortest approach is the steep staircase known locally as the Schwindsuchttreppe, built between 1913 and 1920 with 64 steps; it links the Dieringhauser Straße (B55) with the Merhardtstraße. The tower stands on the Meerhardt hill at 291 m above sea level, above Dieringhausen and the Aggertal.

The structure received monument status in 1976 and is treated as both an artificial ruin and an architectural heritage site. This dual purpose makes it an unusual example of intentional imitation of historical forms.