Helenenturm, Observation tower in Witten, Germany
The Helenenturm is a 30-metre observation tower on the Helenenberg in Witten, built in 1858 as a private memorial by Justizrat Eduard Strohn for his wife Helene. It stands on the last spur of the Ardeygebirge and offers views over much of the city and, in clear weather, as far as Bochum and Dortmund.
A wealthy lawyer built this tower in 1858 as a memorial to his wife, funding the project with money from a legal settlement. The structure has shaped Witten's skyline ever since.
The tower is named after Helene Strohn, née Lohmann, who died after a legal dispute over ferry tolls between her family and the Prussian state. The compensation from that case funded the memorial her husband Eduard Strohn built in 1858. The hill itself was called "Vor der Egge" before the tower gave it the name Helenenberg.
The tower is not freely accessible; it opens only on special occasions such as the Day of Open Monuments and New Year's Eve, and on request. It was renovated from 2021 to 2023. Visitors should note that access is limited and should inquire locally about opening times.
In 1886, a photographer captured a complete 360-degree view of Witten from the tower's platform, an extraordinary technical achievement for that era. This image preserves what the city looked like more than 130 years ago.
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