Hermes tower

The Hermesturm stands on the exhibition grounds in Hannover. Built between 1956 and 1958, it is a striking double-tube structure of reinforced concrete topped by an antenna and the Hannover-Messe logo. The tower reaches 88.8 metres in height, with its viewing platform at 65 metres. Around 100 visitors can stand on the platform at once. An express lift carries up to fourteen people in about fifteen seconds.

The tower served as a landmark during Expo 2000, when Roman Signer’s artwork Fahne circled it to greet visitors. Below the platform once housed a café, now removed. The lift shaft and the tower’s clean lines make it an engineering landmark of post-war Germany.

Visitors find a wide panorama over the flat northern German plain. The exhibition halls stretch out below, while the city skyline appears in the distance. The tower’s simple geometry contrasts with the busy fairgrounds around it. On clear days the view reaches as far as the Deister hills to the south-west.