Urenkopf Tower

The Urenkopfturm stands on the Urenkopf, a 554.9-metre hill that overlooks Haslach im Kinzigtal. The town lies where the Kinzig valley turns northwest, surrounded by gentler slopes and denser settlements than the deeper central Black Forest. Bundesstraßen 33 and 294 meet here, linking Haslach to Offenburg, Villingen-Schwenningen and Freiburg. The railway line also passes through, making the town a local transport hub. Schnellingen and Bollenbach are its two outlying districts, each with its own small settlement pattern. The old market town grew from Roman finds and medieval silver mining under the Zähringers and Fürstenbergers. The tower was completed in November 2014 as a 34-metre steel-and-timber structure. It replaces an earlier wooden lookout that once crowned the hill. The new design allows steady winds to pass through the frame, reducing sway for visitors. The platform sits at roughly 589 metres above sea level, offering views across the Kinzig valley and toward the Black Forest ridges. On clear days the Feldberg and Belchen can be seen to the south-west. The ascent takes about twenty minutes along a well-marked forest path from the edge of Haslach. At the summit the open viewing deck is surrounded by a low railing. Benches let visitors sit and take in the panorama. The tower’s timber cladding blends with the surrounding beech and spruce woods. In winter the path is cleared of snow so the climb remains possible. The hill itself is part of the Ortenaukreis, a district created in 1973 when the old Wolfach county was dissolved. From here the valley’s shape—where the Kinzig bends and broadens—is plain to see.