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Luitpold Tower

Luitpold Tower

Highlight (Segment) • Monument

Luitpold Tower

Recommended by 318 hikers out of 327

This Highlight goes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for: Biosphärenreservat Pfälzerwald-Vosges du Nord

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Location: Merzalben, Südwestpfalz, Palatinate Forest, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

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Best Hiking Routes to Luitpold Tower

4.7

(46)

212

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1. Luitpold Tower on Weißenberg – Kirschfelsen Viewpoint loop from Hofstätten

18.8km

05:33

540m

Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Hard

4.3

(77)

270

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2. Luitpold Tower – Luitpold Tower on Weißenberg loop from Hermersbergerhof

7.04km

02:01

160m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

4.8

(80)

284

hikers

3. Gräfenstein Castle – Luitpold Tower on Weißenberg loop from Merzalben

21.4km

06:10

530m

Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Hard

Tips

Rallle

April 19, 2019

Good to running, straight sand path with "Steinmännchen" along the way.

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Michelly

May 31, 2021

Beautiful path, especially with a dense, green canopy. That provides shade and looks great when the tower slowly peeks out between them!

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der Wandersmann

August 6, 2021

A very straightforward gentle path.
It leads up to the tower.
The tower is a must, the panoramic view is simply awesome.

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Heimatliebe & Brunnenwasser💦

December 15, 2021

Nice to run in summer and winter, a bit rocky at the top

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Alexander Felix

February 14, 2021

Small variation from the Kirschfels through the Eiderbachtal always along the stream to the Annweiler Forsthaus

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🦣 𝕸𝖆𝖒𝖒𝖚𝖙 𝕱𝖗𝖆𝖓𝖐 🏒🥅👨🏼‍🚒🚒

October 16, 2025

The Luitpold Tower (also called Luitpoldsturm) near Merzalben in the Südwestpfalz district of Rhineland-Palatinate is a 34.6 m high observation tower, inaugurated in 1909, on the approximately 610 m above sea level Weißenberg, one of the highest mountains in the Palatinate Forest. It was built of red sandstone.
The Luitpold Tower is located in the heart of the Palatinate Forest, within the Palatinate Forest Nature Park. It stands in the municipality of Merzalben, approximately 7 km west-southwest, and 1.3 km north-northwest of the hamlet of Hermersbergerhof, which belongs to the neighboring municipality of Wilgartswiesen, on the summit region of the Weißenberg (approx. 610 m).
The idea for building the tower was born on May 29, 1895, at the general meeting of the "Gräfenstein Beautification Association," founded by forestry assessor August Zwissler from Leimen in 1893. It was decided to build an observation tower on the Weißenberg, with an estimated cost of 8,000 to 10,000 marks. The necessary funds were to be raised by association member Martin Jäger, a local poet also known under the pseudonym Fritz Claus. Thanks to his advocacy for the tower, he was able to win over the Palatinate Forest Association (PWV), founded in Ludwigshafen in 1902, to his cause. The PWV leadership took over the coordination of the project, commissioned architect Ludwig Ullmann to draw up the plans, and raised the necessary funds primarily from membership dues. The name was suggested by Karl Albrecht von Ritter, the then chairman of the PWV; it was named after Prince Luitpold of Bavaria. Construction of the tower began on July 19, 1908, and its inauguration took place on September 26, 1909. The cost was approximately 23,000 marks, which, based on the base year 2000, corresponds to approximately 256,000 euros. The Palatinate Forest Association was able to complete payment of this amount as early as 1911.

Source: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luitpoldturm#Renovierung_und_Erhaltung

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🍰 Ohne en

February 10, 2023

Nice soft springy trail

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Rainer Schmidt

April 13, 2023

The path from the Luitpoldstein car park up to the Luitpoldturm is quite well-trodden and therefore becomes a bit slippery in places when it rains/wet; Otherwise it is easy to walk and at the end of the path the Luitpold Tower awaits as a highlight with an ingenious 360° all-round view.

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Meo

November 25, 2023

Magnificent view from the Luipold Tower

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Details

Informations

Distance 254 m

Uphill 0 m

Downhill 10 m

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Wednesday 12 November

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Max wind speed: 11.0 km/h

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Location: Merzalben, Südwestpfalz, Palatinate Forest, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

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Luitpold Tower

1. Luitpold Tower on Weißenberg – Kirschfelsen Viewpoint loop from Hofstätten

2. Luitpold Tower – Luitpold Tower on Weißenberg loop from Hermersbergerhof

3. Gräfenstein Castle – Luitpold Tower on Weißenberg loop from Merzalben

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