Schlossturm, Medieval tower in Burgplatz, Düsseldorf, Germany
Schlossturm is a tower on Burgplatz along the Rhine riverbanks and stands approximately 33 meters tall across five levels. The structure displays Tuscan columns and features a distinctive octagonal fourth floor.
The tower's first three storeys date from the 13th century, when it formed the northern end of Düsseldorf Castle. In 1552 Alessandro Pasqualini added a fourth, polygonal storey with Tuscan columns. King Friedrich Wilhelm IV proposed a fifth storey, designed in 1845 by Friedrich August Stüler in the round-arch style; Eberhard Westhofen added a new portal in 1883, and the present tent roof dates from 1950.
The Rhine Maritime Museum inside the tower displays ship models and exhibits showing how water transport developed along the river. Visitors can observe how shipping shaped life and commerce in this region.
The tower houses the Schifffahrtsmuseum, a café and an event space, so access follows the museum's opening hours. The entrance is on Burgplatz in the Altstadt, close to the Rhine promenade. The tower is 33 metres tall and its interior was redesigned in 2001.
The copper weathervane on the tower's roof is a fire blower, suggested by building authority head Julius Schulte-Frohlinde, designed by his colleague Neuber and made in 1957 by sculptor Ferdi Walther. It recalls the castle fire of 1872.
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