Imagine peering through the trees, towards a peculiar structure. It’s the Messturm V im Jagen 13. This old surveying tower stands silently in the Grunewald forest.
The Messturm V im Jagen 13 is the last of five such towers. They were built in the 1910s for students at the Technical University of Berlin. The towers aided in land surveying exercises. Students practiced trigonometric measurements here. They learned to map unknown areas. They also located missing boundary markers.
After World War I, many boundary markers were gone. Surveying was essential. The Grunewald offered open space for practice. The Messturm V im Jagen 13 provided a high platform. Students could connect to known points from afar.
Over time surveying methods changed. Satellites and modern tech made the towers obsolete. Four of the five towers were torn down. Only the Messturm V im Jagen 13 remains.
The Messturm V im Jagen 13 now stands unused. It belongs to the Berlin Forestry Department. The tower’s condition is poor. Restoration is needed to save it. Currently the tower is not open to the public. Its structural state is too dangerous.
Some locals call it the Rapunzelturm. This name evokes fairy tales. It fits the tower’s lonely position in the woods. Ivy covers the Messturm V im Jagen 13. It looks like an enchanted relic.
In 1948, someone wrote in their diary about climbing it. They enjoyed the view over Berlin. Today such a climb is impossible. The tower is fenced off for safety.
The Messturm V im Jagen 13 is a forgotten piece of Berlin’s history. It reminds us of early surveying techniques. It shows how technology evolves. It also stands as a symbol of what gets left behind.
Nearby you can find the Pücklerteich and the Teich am Käuzchensteig. These ponds collect rainwater from the Clayallee area. The Pücklerteich buffers rainwater. It then slowly releases water to a soil filter. This filter cleans the water before it reaches the Käuzchensteig pond.
Once, this area was described as excellent farmland. That was before the forest grew. The sandy soil with stones is part of a Kames landscape. This landscape formed from glacial meltwater.
The Messturm V im Jagen 13 may not be grand. It’s not as famous as other Berlin landmarks. Yet, it tells a unique story. It speaks of science, change, and the enduring forest. If it is not soon restored it may be lost forever.
So, remember the Messturm V im Jagen 13. It’s more than just an old tower. It’s a piece of Berlin’s hidden past. A past that deserves to be remembered.