Saar Polygon, Steel monument on Duhamel spoil tip in Ensdorf, Germany.
Saar Polygon is a steel monument on a former spoil tip in Ensdorf, Germany, with two slanting towers connected by a bridge at 30 meters height. The two pillars lean in opposite directions and form changing geometric shapes depending on where the viewer stands.
The structure was unveiled in 2016 to remember more than 250 years of coal mining in Saarland after the last pit closed in 2012. Berlin architects Katja Pfeiffer and Oliver Sachse won the competition organized by the Bergbauerbe Saar association.
Local people refer to the structure simply as the Polygon because of its changing geometric outline that shifts with each viewpoint. The landmark now draws visitors to a former coal waste heap that has been transformed into a public park with walking paths.
The climb follows 132 steps that lead to the viewing platform and offer a wide view over the Saar Valley reaching into France and Luxembourg. The path to the top is open without charge but requires steady footing and reasonable fitness for the stairs.
The 275-ton metal construction changes its appearance as people move around it, transforming from a rectangular arch into a triangle or an hourglass shape. After dark the structure glows with built-in lighting and can be seen from far across the valley.
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