The watch tower in Schillerhain was originally part of a medieval observation and early warning system consisting of several watch towers in the area, which ensured better protection and better defense against enemies. An example of this is the watch tower in Albisheim in the Zellertal, which was only a few kilometers away and was built around the same time.
The snail tower is 45 meters north of the waiting tower. Instead of a staircase, a spiral-shaped entrance leads three turns to a 4.1 meter high concrete slab with a diameter of 7.8 meters to the central viewing pavilion. This was built from 1880–1884 as a founding belvedere. The octagonal wooden structure is 7.4 meters high, has five wooden benches inside and is crowned with a slate roof.