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Anatomy Tower, Jena

Anatomy Tower, Jena

Highlight • Historical Site

Anatomy Tower, Jena

Recommended by 87 hikers out of 97

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Location: Thuringia, Germany

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Best Hikes to Anatomy Tower, Jena

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1. Jena City Wall and Pulverturm – View of Jena from Landgrafen loop from Jena Paradies

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2. Windknollen Nature Reserve – Steinbach Gorge loop from Jena West

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3. View of the Luther Pulpit – Papermill Brewery Inn, Jena loop from Jena West

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Tips

Danny & Kalle

August 21, 2017

The Anatomy Tower is a ruined round tower and part of the remains of the city wall of Jena. It was the southwestern corner of the medieval city limits, is located at the Teich and Leutragraben and in the immediate vicinity of the Anatomical Institute and the Collegium Jenense.
The remaining section is the base with few windows. An anatomical theater with windows many meters high was built on top of it. Sloping toward the center, rows of wooden benches surrounded the mortuary table. Preparatory demonstrations took place here for medical teaching and scientific purposes, especially for medical students. On the one hand, the anatomy tower provided good exposure to the body donor thanks to the high windows, and on the other hand, it maintained discretion due to the location of the anatomical theater a few meters high and the lecture hall-like slope.
In the anatomy tower, Johann Wolfgang Goethe and Justus Christian Loder researched the premaxillary bone of the human embryo and the elephant. However, the premaxillary bone was already known to the scientific world, so Goethe and Loder's research - contrary to their mistaken opinion - did not represent a new discovery.
Source (Wikipedia)

Translated by Google •

Anke Duderstadt

June 8, 2023

Is part of the former city wall. The small tower is freely accessible, but cannot be climbed.

Translated by Google •

JR56

August 13, 2025

The Anatomy Tower is the southwest corner of the medieval city fortifications.
It was built in the 13th century and given an octagonal structure, high windows, and a tent roof in the 18th century. The tower is located in the immediate vicinity
of the Anatomy Institute and the Collegium Jenense.
The round tower is an important building in Jena's city and medical history.
Preparatory demonstrations for medical teaching and research purposes took place here, especially for medical students. Johann Wolfgang Goethe and Justus Christian Loder are also said to have discovered the intermaxillary bone here.
At Goethe's commission, the building was to be converted into an anatomical lecture hall,
but this was demolished in 1860 – the tower has been a ruin ever since.
The tower ruins, with their glass roof, were extensively renovated in 2016 and are open to public viewing from the outside.

visit-jena.de/sehen-und-erleben/sehenswuerdigkeiten/anatomieturm

Translated by Google •

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Elevation 160 m

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Tuesday 16 December

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Location: Thuringia, Germany

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Anatomy Tower, Jena

1. Jena City Wall and Pulverturm – View of Jena from Landgrafen loop from Jena Paradies

2. Windknollen Nature Reserve – Steinbach Gorge loop from Jena West

3. View of the Luther Pulpit – Papermill Brewery Inn, Jena loop from Jena West

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