There are said to be around 150 Bismarck towers throughout Germany. Many stand on hills and are popular lookout towers. The "Bismarck cult" goes back to a movement started by student organizations in 1898. They wanted as many towers as possible to commemorate the recently deceased Reich Chancellor Otto von Bismarck.
The tower in Stuttgart was inaugurated in 1904 by the student body of the Technical University. "Götterdämmerung" was the name of the architect's design. The tower appears just as monumental as the name of the design. The square tower base rises on the two-tiered pedestal. The edges of the tower shaft consist of four three-quarter columns. The tower head was once crowned by a huge fire bowl. Until 1914, a fire was lit here every year on the solstice.
Today, the Bismarck Tower in the north of Stuttgart is a popular observation tower. Between Easter and the end of October, visitors can climb the 92 steps to the platform every weekend and enjoy the fabulous panoramic view far across the Neckar Valley.
