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built from three ever smaller growing pedestals, there are 12 steps leading up to an iron door. Four columns with a diameter of 1.80 metres rise from the corners of the plinth with three quarters of their perimeter visible on the outside. Above that rises, with an out jutting cornice the architrave. As decoration for the iron door on the western side the DĂĽsseldorf architect Josef
Kleesattel designed a coloured coat of arms of the Bismarck family as well as their motto "In trinitate robur" (in trinity, there is power) and the Berlin sculptor Arnold KĂĽnne created a bronze relief of the chancellor for the eastern front of tower. Within a steep flight of stairs with 60 steps leeds up to the viewing platform.
147:, Lorenz Richen, in the name of all Roman Catholic priests, gave a passionate speech against the idea of honouring Bismarck of all people. Bismarck, who in his time had fiercely fought against Roman Catholic influence, for instance in the school system, was for years unpopular in the mostly Catholic Rhineland. Due to this speech encouraging Roman Catholics to protest, Richen lost his job as school inspector.
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The laying of the foundation stone was witnessed by several thousand people although the protesters had asked the Roman
Catholic majority in town not to hoist the flags along the way of the patriotic procession leading from the town to the building site. The tower, then usually called the "Bismarck
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It has a total height of 18.22 metres. On the night of the inaugural celebration the beacon was lit for the first time, and up to the time of World War I every year on the occasion of
Bismarck's birthday, 1 April, for about two hours. The flames reached a height of about 4–5 metres. In the base,
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called "Götterdämmerung". His work inspired many tower projects all over
Germany. In Viersen, that plan was realized in 1900 in a slightly slimmer version, than the original "Götterdämmerung". It ended in a huge iron brazier on top of the building in order to light a beacon visible for miles on
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At the end of the 1970s, the building was closed based on safety reasons. The restoration of the structural condition became unavoidable. For financial reasons it was not effected until 2001 within the framework of the "Euroga". The city of
Viersen, the municipal savings bank and funding by the
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The
Bismarck-Tower is situated in hilly woodland to the north west of Viersen called "Hoher Busch" namely on a hilltop called "Wilhelmshöhe", with a height of 84.94 metres above sea level the highest point of Viersen. At the time of its erection, the view from the top reached far out over the
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For scientific, artistic and historical reasons the tower is listed as historical monument; for preservation and utilization this must be taken into consideration. After the restoration the building was reopened to the public in 2003. Since then you can see inside an exhibition of historical
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by especially influential and patriotic
Viersen citizens. The necessary money was to be collected by fund-raising activities to which the mayor, Peter Stern, not only contributed but was one of the driving forces of the action group. In the end 104 citizens donated about 36,000
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look after the tower. They organize the opening hours as well, which are: from the first of April until the end of
September on every first and third Sunday of the month. Groups can visit by special appointment all through the year and climb up to the top.
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The idea for such a project did not, however, originate in
Viersen. As early as 1899, the patriotic "Deutsche Studentenschaften" (German Students Association) decided to honour Bismarck as the founder of the
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county together were able to raise the necessary €370.000 . Among other things the crumbling cement mortar lining of the joints was changed to a more modern material to avoid efflorescence.
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in 1871. After a competition for the design of towers or columns, they received 317 architectural plans and finally awarded the prize to the design by the
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The idea of building such a tower in
Viersen was born on the occasion of a birthday party in 1899 in honour of
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Leistungskurs Geschichte 2005 des Städtischen Gymnasiums Dülken unter der Leitung von Gunnar Schirrmacher:
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postcards on the subject of "Bismarck-Towers all over the world". Since 2006 the Viersen licensed
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211:. Stadt Viersen, Verschönerungsverein und Verein für Heimatpflege. Viersen 2005
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Bismarcksäule auf dem Hohen Busch bei Viersen. Geschichte und Bedeutung
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Bismarcksäule auf dem Hohen Busch bei Viersen. Geschichte und Bedeutung
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Bismarcksäule auf dem Hohen Busch bei Viersen. Geschichte und Bedeutung
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218:. In: "100 Jahre Viersener Verschönerungsverein". Viersen o.J. (1986)
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special occasions. The selected construction material became cuboid
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294:. In: "100 Jahre Viersener Verschönerungsverein". Viersen (1986)
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Bismarck-Türme und Bismarck-Säulen. Eine Bestandsaufnahme.
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and has since become an icon of the city of Viersen.
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Bismarck tower Viersen on website bismarcktuerme.de
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385:Buildings and structures in Viersen (district)
395:Tourist attractions in North Rhine-Westphalia
126:. Today, this view is blocked by tall trees.
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304:Erinnerungen an die Bismarcksäule in Viersen
222:Erinnerungen an die Bismarcksäule in Viersen
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228:Viersens Bauten aus alter und neuer Zeit
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176:Column", was finished already in 1901.
280:Feier zur Vollendung der Bismarcksäule
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405:Art Nouveau sculptures and memorials
400:Art Nouveau architecture in Germany
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122:low-lying areas along the river
247:GĂĽnter Kloss; Sieglinde Seele:
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292:Visitenkarte Bismarckturm
216:Visitenkarte Bismarckturm
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390:Towers completed in 1901
251:Imhof, Petersburg 1997,
130:History and architecture
117:Geographical situation
107:North Rhine-Westphalia
28:Bismarck Tower Viersen
282:. Meyer, Viersen 1902
214:Fritz Eisheuer u.a.:
356:51.26278°N 6.36972°E
202:Secondary Literature
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78:Restored date
361:51.26278; 6.36972
111:Otto von Bismarck
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89:Otto von Bismarck
86:Dedicated to
70:Opening date
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374:Categories
344:51°15′46″N
159:architect
347:6°22′11″E
168:from the
166:greywacke
141:Marks (â„ł)
57:Greywacke
334:(German)
172:Valley.
54:Material
46:Designer
38:Location
157:Dresden
103:Viersen
65:18.22 m
41:Viersen
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145:pastor
62:Height
235:Notes
170:Wiehl
253:ISBN
124:Nier
95:The
81:2001
73:1901
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