Krawutschke Tower
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The Krawutschketurm is a 13 metre tall observation tower in the Hürtgenwald municipality, between Hürtgenwald and Nideggen, approximately 10 km south of Düren, Germany. Being situated in the Eifel, it is locally also known, somewhat ironically, as the Eifelturm (Eifel Tower), in resemblence of the well-known Eiffel Tower). The Krawutschketurm is 400.5 m above sea level and has three platforms, one above the other, each separated by three meters.
On a clear day, one can see Cologne cathedral. Looking eastward, the Nideggen castle is visible on the other side of the Rur valley. The tower has a panoramaic view over the artificial lake the Obermaubach.
In 1911 an observation tower was built on the ruins of the former Berenstein castle. Shortly before World War II in 1934 a new tower, named Eifelwanderer Franz Krawutschke after recently deceased Eifelverein Association worker Franz Krawutschke (1862-1934), was built. The tower was heavily damaged in the war and destroyed by a forest fire in 1945. It was rebuilt in 1972, financed by the municipality of Hürtgenwald, the Eifelverein Association, the district of Düren and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Since the beginning of July 2005 the tower has been closed for safety reasons.
[edit] References
- Ernst G. Ottersbach: Der „Eifelturm“ im Hürtgenwald. In: Jahrbuch des Kreises Düren. Jg. 1976, S. 52, ISBN 3-927312-22-3
- Ernst Kamp, Stefan Kamp: DNA Taschenführer – Wanderungen in der Eifel, ISBN 2-7165-0370-2
