Amblers trekking through a remote forest in south west Germany might be shocked when they stumble upon a tower almost as tall as the Shard.
The huge, twisting skyscraper sticks out like a sore thumb amongst the stunning greenery and countryside, but serves a very practical purpose.
Instead of containing ultra-modern apartments, as you might expect from such a striking building, the 807ft (246m) skyscraper is actually used to test lifts.
Standing outside the medieval town of Rottweil, the innocent tower has become an unlikely tourist hotspot.
The TK Elevator Testturm has 12 shafts used to test different elevator systems, which taken together measure up to 6,560ft (2km) in length.
It is almost as tall as the Shard in London which measures 1,016ft, while One Canada Square in Canary Wharf is 771ft tall.
In Germany, only Frankfurt’s Commerzbank Tower (850ft) and Messeturm (841ft) trump the height of the lift test tower in Rottweil.
In fact the city of Frankfurt is home to nine of Germany’s 10 tallest buildings.
The construction project to build TK Testturm was a feat of engineering, taking under 10 months from start to finish by crews working in three shifts.
In total 15,000cubic metres of concrete, 200 rock nails, and 2,640tonnes of steel were used to build the structure back in 2017.
The shafts inside the test tower are used to test next-generation lift technology, including high-speed models and groundbreaking systems which can move vertically and horizontally.
While the futuristic tower is in sharp contrast with the surrounding countryside and nearby Rottweil, a medieval town once part of the Swiss Confederacy, it has found its place within the community and has become a popular tourist attraction.
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Germany’s top 10 tallest buildings
- Commerzbank Tower, Frankfurt – 850ft
- Messtrum, Frankfurt – 841ft
- TK Testturm, Rottweill – 807ft
- Four I, Frankfurt – 764ft
- Westendstrabe, Frankfurt – 682ft
- Main Tower, Frankfurt – 656ft
- Tower 185, Frankfurt – 656ft
- One, Frankfurt – 626ft
- Omniturm, Frankfurt – 623ft
- Trianon, Frankfurt – 610ft
It boasts a viewing platform at 76ft with an unobstructed view of the Black Forest and the Swiss Alps to the south.
Visitors can take an elevator up to the viewing platform during weekends and bank holidays, with admission costing €9 (£7.50) for adults and €5 (£4.20) for children.
Since 2018 the TK Testturm has hosted the Towerrun, where runners race to climb the tower’s 1,390 steps to the viewing platform – aside from 2020, which was held virtually, and 2021 which was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The test tower’s regular visitors also include engineers and architects from around the world to trial technology and future lift designs.
This includes the Multi system using magnetic levitation instead of traditional cables, enabling it to move in different directions. Engineers say this could reduce waiting times in skyscrapers and allow new designs.
The TK Testturm’s unusual twisted surface design has a very practical purpose, reducing vibrations caused by wind.
At first, critics were sceptical of the tower being built in the middle of a picturesque forest.
However, residents have since welcomed the tower as part of the local areas and it now has partnerships with schools and engineering programmes.
For those wanting their conference or event to make a big impression, there are several conference rooms more than 650ft (200m) in the air for hire with stunning panoramic views from their floor-to-ceiling windows.
This article was first published on November 15, 2024
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