The Posselt Tower

l’ bin so freÿ – I’m so happy

Heidelberg city councillor and professor of pharmacy Dr Louis Posselt (1817-1880) donated a charming gem above the Kohlhof (formerly known as Busenbronner Hof) to posterity in the form of the Posselt Tower. In his will, he decreed the construction of a ‘lookout tower and summer house (…) on the forest edge near the path leading from the Drei Eichen to the Kohlhöfer Feld,… where you have a clear view of the whole hinterland’, the “Posselts-Lust”.

Just one year after Posselt’s death, the early Renaissance-style building was ceremoniously inaugurated and opened to the public.

Between 2008 and 2009, the city of Heidelberg undertook extensive restoration work, which was financially supported by the ‘German Foundation for Monument Protection’. Since then, Posselts-Lust has shone in new splendour.

To this day, the complex still harbours many a secret that repeatedly awakens the spirit of discovery in interested citizens. According to a newspaper article from 1881, the small park around the Posseltslust tower was equipped with a fountain, a grotto and a pond, but neither the town nor its citizens have ever been able to find definitive proof of this.

The Kohlhof is a former island clearing within a large, contiguous forest area, which was created in 1706 to become agricultural land. Today, still inhabited by around 50 people. The Kohlhof is particularly important for those seeking relaxation due to its mild climate and is also the location of a rehabilitation clinic.

The fact that the Posseltslust-Turm is open to the public is also thanks to the commitment of the local residents, who always keep a watchful eye on the site. The tower is open on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays during the day until dusk.

The castle-like building is located on Drei-Eichen-Weg opposite the famous Kohlhofwiese. The VRN bus line 39 runs to Posseltslust every hour during the day. The bus stop is located directly at the entrance to the parking lot in front of the tower.

Outside opening hours, the key can be borrowed for a deposit from the following locations: – Heidelberg-Königsstuhl Rehabilitation Clinic at the gate