Seeparkturm Freiburg

The Seeparkturm is a 15-metre wooden observation tower in Freiburg’s Seepark. It stands on a small rise by the northern shore of the lake and commands views over the entire park, the city of Freiburg, the Black Forest beyond, and as far west as the Kaiserstuhl hills and the Vosges mountains. Designed by architects Heinz Hilmer and Christoph Sattler, it was built in 1986 for the state horticultural show. The original structure cost 100 000 DM and was completed in time for the event.

The tower was destroyed by arson in June 2003 but rebuilt within a year. Richard Kramer and the timber firm Gampp from Schluchsee recreated the original design using surviving structural plans and photographs. The Badische Gemeinde-Versicherungs-Verband covered the €200 000 cost of reconstruction, and the tower reopened in June 2004. Minor repairs followed in 2011 when rotten beams were replaced and better weatherproofing added. The work took longer than planned because rain kept an access crane from being set up safely.

Today visitors climb the tower to enjoy wide views across the park and city. In winter the hill beneath it becomes a popular sledging slope for local children. The site has also inspired an identical 33-metre copy in Suwon, South Korea, designed by the same architect. That tower, the Gwanggyo Lake Park Observatory, includes a lift, café and exhibition space, and nearby stands a new library whose shelves are shaped like miniature Seepark towers.