The blue tower of Bad Wimpfen/Germany Indeed, this is the western tower of the 12th century Imperial

The blue tower of Bad Wimpfen/Germany Indeed, this is the western tower of the 12th century Imperial Palace of the Hohenstaufen Dynasty in Bad Wimpfen. It has been enlarged several times during the last 800 years and it was rebuild time and again, since it had been struck by lightning several times, resulting in castatrophic fires (the last of which was in the 1980s). The tower is now 58 meters high. To high for it’s walls, which show deep cracks and threaten to collapse. They were just recently supported with wooden beams and a metal frame. I guess part of the problem is the enlarging of the tower. During the 13th century, the tower may have been serveral storeys lower. With the downfall of the Hohenstaufen Dynasty the tower was used by the citys denizens as a watchtower. It was remodelled and got it’s blueblack slate roof from which it’s name derived. The second tower of the castle - called the red tower - may have had in contrast a red brick tile roof. The view from the top of the blue tower is gorgeous. Yes, I climbed all of the 167 steps to the parapet in 32 meters height. -- source link

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