Silberturm

The Silberturm, also known as the Silver Tower or "Silberling," is one of the most distinctive skyscrapers in Frankfurt's Bahnhofsviertel (Station District). Designed by the architects ABB Beckert and Becker, the high-rise towers 166 meters (545 feet) into the sky and consists of two basement levels and 32 floors above ground. From 1978 to 1990, it was the tallest building in Germany, until it was surpassed by the Messeturm. The tower originally served as the corporate headquarters of Dresdner Bank until 2008, and because of its location on Jürgen-Ponto-Platz it is often called the Jürgen-Ponto-Hochhaus. Since a comprehensive renovation that significantly reduced its energy consumption and brought its fire protection up to modern standards, the building has been occupied by Deutsche Bahn and its IT subsidiary DB Systel.

The tower's architecture is defined by a floor plan of two rounded, slightly offset squares, with the service cores housed in the recesses between them. The design theme of rounded corners runs throughout the entire building, from the windows to the load-bearing columns and the signage inside. Visitors can admire the distinctive facade, which was preserved during the renovation. The 31st floor, which once housed a water reservoir and a swimming pool, is now home to a large conference room with floor-to-ceiling windows. The 32nd floor was partially destroyed in a fire in 1998.

Beyond its economic importance, the Silberturm has also left its mark on popular culture. In 1984, the building served as a backdrop for the German feature film Abwärts (Out of Order), in which the former swimming pool can also be seen. The tower's history is closely tied to the development of Frankfurt's financial scene: after Commerzbank took over Dresdner Bank, the building was first leased to Deutsche Bahn and later sold to various investors. Today, the modernized high-rise stands for the economic dynamism of the city on the Main and offers an impressive glimpse into the high-rise architecture of the late 1970s.