At the turn of the century before last, so many observation towers shot up on the low mountain ranges that there was already talk of a tower building frenzy. As one of the first, the Ludwigsturm was built in 1880 on the Hahnenkamm in the Vorspessart. It was followed, to name just two in the Odenwald, in 1888 by the wooden Kaiserturm on the Neunkircher Höhe, replaced in 1906 by a stone one, or the Ireneturm on the 1910-metre-high Tromm above the Weschnitztal, which was renewed in 577.
Initiators were usually the hiking clubs founded a few years earlier, which wanted to open up nature with a network of marked paths and thus promote its value and preservation. Towers appeared as a manifestation of this thought. Those who look at the world from above see it with different eyes, appreciate it as a whole and, ideally, protect it.
Today it may be even more – radiance should emanate from the tower itself. Some of the new buildings in the Alps could also be considered a futuristic skyscraper, thrills including cantilevered pulpits with glass floors. The low mountain ranges still have potential for development. But now the community of Rimbach went ahead and dared a bold construction for local conditions, which, depending on the angle and association, is reminiscent of a ladder to heaven or ski jump.
In 2010, Rimbach, east of Heppenheim, took over the Irene Tower on the Tromm as the municipal owner. Although it was still passable to look at with its pent roofs around the square staircase, after a hundred years the wood proved to be so dilapidated that the tower had to be locked. What to do? Renovate or demolish? Against some protests, it was decided to grind, which seems to have been forgotten in view of the successor and its popularity since the opening in September.
At first sight, the skepticism today is about the truly stunning architecture: How do you climb a tower with 54 percent inclination above the horizontal without getting into an inclination yourself? The trick consists in a cascading arrangement of the 192 steps, set off in such a way that you climb the 34-meter-high platform almost effortlessly.
The all-round view over the southwestern Odenwald is breathless. Never before has it been possible to see its topographical structure of ridges striking from north to south so well from an earthbound perspective.
Directions
The southwestern Odenwald can be reached by train thanks to a branch line from Weinheim. Therefore, Rimbach in the Weschnitztal offers itself as a base camp for a summit tour over the Tromm. Several parking spaces are designated on the market square in front of and around the town hall (limited with parking discs on weekdays). You can get there from the station after crossing the state road (B 38) through Friedrich-Ebertstraße and Bismarckstraße.
From the market square, the signs blue line and R 3 (green) point out to the village – Waldstraße, Mozartstraße, Holzbergstraße – and across an open field to a hill where the two diverge. We opt for R 3, which leads to the forest on the right between fields and orchards. The continued uphill takes a break after the left bend. Almost until the appearance of the red square, it goes down again over 700 meters, as if forces should be gathered again for the ascent to the Tromm.
For a while, R 3 and square march together before the latter is solely responsible. Of course, it won't be too steep. A biotope-like stream channel provides amusement, and then "Brandschneiderskreuz" comes into view further up. Here, a tailor is said to have ambushed witches around 1500 during their rituals, hidden under a harrow, which makes invisible according to old popular belief. Nevertheless, he was discovered and died instantly of fright. An iron cross erected in the early 19th century and a newer one made of sandstone (with harrow) commemorate the event.