Lemberg Tower

The Lemberg is the highest peak of the Swabian Alb at 1,015.7 m. It stands on the western edge of the range, east of Rottweil in the district of Tuttlingen near the village of Gosheim. The summit hosts the Lembergturm, a 33 m steel lattice tower built by the Swabian Alb Association. From its 30 m platform visitors look out over the treetops, and on clear days the view stretches as far as the Alps. The farthest sighting recorded is the Mont Blanc, 295 km away, the longest confirmed view in Germany. The mountain belongs to the region known as the ‘Ten Thousanders’ and lies within the High Swabian Alb. The tower’s iron structure was completed in 1899 after a public fund-raising campaign. Twelve workers assembled 23 tonnes of metal in seven weeks, finishing under budget. The 152 steps to the top rise through twelve vertical sections, each marked by a small platform. The surrounding slopes show the mountain’s geological layers: steep north-west flanks drop more than a hundred metres into the foreland, while the south side rises gently above Gosheim. The north-east slope carries a cool, damp spruce and block forest unique to a few north-facing slopes in the region. Paths from Gosheim, Wilflingen and Wehingen lead to the summit. The shortest route from a car park one kilometre north of Gosheim climbs 144 m in 900 m of trail and takes about forty-five minutes. From Wilflingen the climb is longer, reaching the tree line after 270 m of ascent before a final steep path to the tower. The saddle between the Lemberg and the Hochberg at 925 m holds a historic tri-border stone marking the old boundaries of Gosheim, Deilingen and Wilflingen.