Columbarium, Heritage monument tower in Cochem, Germany.

The Columbarium in Cochem is a three-storey tower of massive greywacke quarry stone, built in 1889–1890 to plans by master bricklayer Johann Wiss from Klotten. Its natural-slate pyramid roof carries a copper-plate hand about 1.05 m tall and 0.7 m wide, weighing 13.1 kg and coated gold against corrosion. An inscription on the front reads COLUMBARIUM ERBAUT 1889 VON C.J.FRIEDRICHS COND.

Carl Joseph Friedrichs, an entrepreneur, had the tower built between 1889 and 1890 after returning from the Montana Gold Rush with newfound wealth. The structure emerged as a personal monument from someone who had achieved considerable prosperity.

The building takes its name from the concept of a funerary tower, though it was never actually built for that purpose. Today it stands as an unusual monument in town, drawing attention from visitors curious about unconventional structures.

The tower is located at Oberer Weg 9 in Cochem and is easy to spot from the street. The structure underwent full restoration in 2019, including a complete roof replacement that preserved its historical shape.

The tower's name is inscribed on its front: "COLUMBARIUM ERBAUT 1889 VON C.J.FRIEDRICHS COND." The gilded hand on top is not an oath hand but a Mahnhand of copper plate, about 1.05 m tall, 0.7 m wide and 13.1 kg; its gold colour comes from an anti-corrosion coating.