Image Copyright: Kurt Zich

Of the 184 built Bismarck towers in Germany only 146 exist still today. The Bismarck towers are a special form of the Bismarck monument.

The Viersen Bismarck tower is situated in the wooded area 'Hoher Busch' - in the Süchtelner Heights - northwest from Alt-Viersen. The Bismarck tower is a fire tower, type 'Götterdämmerung'.

The tower is being cared for by the Viersen amateur radio enthusiasts of the German Amateur-Radio-Club since 2006. The club also arranges access :

The Bismarck tower is open from the beginning of April to the end of September at every first and third Sunday in a month as well as on all nationwide public holidays. Groups have the opportunity to ascend the tower by prior booking also during the winter half year.

Image Copyright: Denkmalarchiv Peter Wittgens

The building was encouraged by Viersen citizens in 1899 and completed in June 1901 already.

The first lightning took place during the inauguration in the evening and until the time of the First World War the tower was lighted annually on Bismarck's birthday for around two hours. The height of th flames were ca 5 metres.

Illustration by Peter Wittgens (monument archive Peter Wittgens) : Bismarck tower design 'Götterdämmerung' by architect Wilhelm Kreis.