Killesbergturm

The Killesberg Tower is a 40.4-meter-tall (132-foot) observation tower in Stuttgart's Höhenpark Killesberg, which opened in 2001. It stands north of the city center and is part of the so-called Grünes U (Green U), a continuous chain of parks and recreation areas that stretches from the palace gardens through Rosenstein Park all the way to the forest. The tower was designed by the engineering firm Schlaich, Bergermann und Partner and follows an innovative structural principle inspired by the cable-net cooling towers of power plants. The goal of the design was to create a delicate structure that blends harmoniously into the landscape without disturbing the character of its surroundings. The structure consists of a central mast and a net of triangular steel-cable meshes stretched between a foundation ring and an upper compression ring.

Visitors experience the tower as an architectural highlight, notable for its four spiral staircases and four viewing platforms at heights of eight, sixteen, twenty-four, and thirty-one meters. The stairs are supported solely by the cable net, which underscores the lightness of the construction. From the platforms, you get expansive views over the city and the surrounding parks. At night, the tower is lit from below, with additional lights above the top platform highlighting its cone-shaped silhouette. The top is crowned by a weather vane in the shape of a rooster, modeled on the emblem of the Grünes U.

The history of the tower is marked by financial challenges. Originally planned for the 1993 International Garden Show, the project had to be halted because of budget overruns. The Verschönerungsverein Stuttgart (Stuttgart Beautification Society) ultimately took over as the client and financed construction in part through a tower sponsorship scheme, in which donors could have their names affixed to the steps. Today the tower is owned by the association, while the City of Stuttgart is responsible for operational safety. Because there is neither an elevator nor a ramp, the tower is not wheelchair accessible, but it is open to all visitors for an admission fee and can also be rented for private events.