Limes Tower on the Wintersberg

The foundations of the tower on the Wintersberg were discovered in the 1850s. In 1874, citizens of Bad Ems erected the replica in honour of Emperor Wilhelm I, as the Latin inscription reads. This makes it the oldest surviving reconstruction of a watchtower on the Limes. As such, it is itself part of the World Heritage Site and a special cultural monument. Watchtower 1 of the section south of the Lahn stood on the site of today's tower. Its walls formed a square 5.50 metres on a side and were 76 cm thick. The tower was around 5 to 8 metres high and had a balcony from which it was possible to communicate with signal horns or signal fires. 5 to 8 soldiers were on duty here. From the tower, there was an unobstructed view over the Lahn valley with the ford at that time and the ascent of the Limes to the Westerwald forest opposite.