Schlossturm Karlsruhe

The seven-storey Schlossturm stands at the northern edge of the former residence of the margraves and grand dukes of Baden. Its red-brick body rises above the symmetrical French-style Schlossgarten, which stretches south towards the city centre. The tower was shortened in 1785 and given a shallow copper dome, earning it the nickname ‘Bleiturm’. The building’s long history began in 1715 under Margrave Karl Wilhelm, founder of Karlsruhe. After wartime destruction in 1944 only the façades were rebuilt, yet the tower survived intact and now houses a viewing platform. From the 42-metre-high gallery visitors look north over the Hardtwald forest and south across the rooftops to the Black Forest and the Palatinate hills. Inside the tower a narrow spiral staircase leads to the platform. Outside, the restored façade forms the backdrop for the annual Schlosslichtspiele light projections. Nearby, the Schlossgarten offers avenues of rare trees, Baroque fountains and a 1645 majolica-tiled path to the historic tile works. The court chapel, Gartensaal and Marmorsaal once hosted grand receptions, their interiors captured in early photographs before the war.