Guide to Visiting the Grunewald Tower in Berlin

The Grunewald Tower, or Grunewaldturm in German, is a red brick tower in the Grunewald forest in the southwest corner of Berlin. Grunewald is a great place to go for an escape from the city and to get out into nature, and visiting the Grunewald Tower for a climb will reward you with views of the surrounding areas of lakes and forests as well as Berlin in the distance.

In fact, it’s one of my favorite places to go for views of Berlin, especially if you want those views to include lots of nature. And after you get your photos, you can grab a beer or go for a hike in the forest.

This post will tell you everything you need to know for visiting the Grunewald Tower.

History and Facts about the Grunewaldturm

The Grunewaldturm was built in the late 1800s to honor Kaiser Wilhelm I on his 100th birthday. The architect was Franz Schwechten, who had already designed the Kaiser Wilhelm Church in Charlottenburg, which today stands in ruins.

It was designed in a gothic brick style that was popular in the Brandenburg region at the time. You can see a statue of Kaiser Wilhelm at the lower level of the tower.

The 55 meter (180 foot) tall tower was built on a small hill, and the tower’s viewing platform stands 36 meters (118 feet) above the ground, but 86 meters (282 feet) above the water level. You’ll have to climb 204 stairs to reach the viewing platform, where you’ll be rewarded with wonderful views above the trees.

Though it was originally called the Kaiser Wilhelm Tower, it was renamed after World War II and became the Grunewaldturm.

On the ground level behind the tower you’ll find a restaurant and beer garden where you can enjoy a meal or a beer with a view of the Havel Lake.

The Grunewald Forest that surrounds the tower is a large area that’s popular with locals for hiking and cycling.

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How to visit the Grunewald Tower

The Grunewaldturm is located away from the center of Berlin, so if you want to visit, it makes sense to plan at least a few hours of forest time to truly enjoy the area.

When you arrive at the tower, you might think it’s closed because there’s a locked gate preventing you from going up the stairs. Don’t fear, it’s run by the restaurant, so you’ll need to check in with them.

Go around to the left of the tower and you’ll see the entrance to the restaurant. Talk to them, and they’ll sell you a ticket and unlock the gate for you.

When we were there, it was a warm day with plenty of people around, and the kid who was washing dishes spent plenty of time running back and forth between the restaurant and the gate letting people in.

When you climb back down the tower, basically as soon as you get back outside, look for a buzzer and ring it. That will notify the restaurant to unlock the gate at the bottom to let you out.

What to wear on your visit

Especially if you plan on climbing the Grunewaldturm, wear comfortable shoes to tackle all those stairs. Dress for the weather at the time of year you’re visiting Berlin.

>>Read: What to Wear & What to Pack for Berlin, Germany: Your Ultimate Berlin Packing List

How to get to the Grunewaldturm

Even though the Grunewald Tower isn’t close to central Berlin, it’s still easy to reach using Berlin’s public transportation system. The address is Havelchaussee 61, 14193 Berlin, and the bus stop right out front is called Grunewaldturm.

To get to the Grunewaldturm, take Sbahn line S3 or S9 to Heerstr. Once at the street level, cross the street to the bus stop on the other side and get bus 218 going towards Pfaueninsel. Note that the bus stop on the same side of the street as the exit from the Sbahn is for buses going in the other direction.

Bus 218 doesn’t run very often, and it’s not even listed on the electronic sign at the bus stop. But if you wander down towards the end of the bus stop, you’ll see the placard showing its route and timing.

Always run your route ahead of time (ideally using the BVG or VBB app) so you don’t waste too much time waiting around for the bus. At certain times of the year and on certain days of the week, it only runs once an hour.

Once you get off the bus at the Grunewald stop, you’ll see the tower looming high.

Things to know before you go

Before you visit the Grunewald Tower, here are a few more pieces of advice to help you enjoy this interesting Berlin landmark.

How much does it cost to visit the Grunewaldturm

Seeing the Grunewaldturm from the outside is free. But if you want to climb, entrance tickets are 4.50 euros (cash or card is accepted), making it one of many inexpensive things to do in Berlin.

Grunewaldturm opening hours

You can see the Grunewald Tower any time of day, but be aware of opening hours if you want to climb to the viewing platform.

It is open daily from 11am to 6pm, though opening hours are tied to the beer garden’s opening hours so always check before visiting, especially in the off season.

Are dogs allowed at the Grunewaldturm?

Berlin is very dog friendly in general, so we took a chance and brought our dog. Turns out they do allow dogs to go up the tower at no extra cost.

If your dog can handle 204 stairs, this is certainly an option. Ours is a 3kg (7lb) yorkie, and she’s a bit of a wacko, so it was less stressful for me to carry her in our little dog backpack.

How long do you need at the Grunewald Tower?

If you don’t plan on climbing the Grunewaldturm, you can see it in a matter of minutes.

But if you are climbing the tower, you should give yourself 30 minutes or so depending on how long you want to stay at the viewing platform to take pictures. Also, if you’re not in the best shape and you think you’ll want to stop occasionally to catch your breath, it’ll take you longer.

Which is totally me, by the way. When I climbed it recently, it took me 10 minutes or so to reach the top with stops to rest, plus time at the top to enjoy the view.

A word about the fencing

To protect people from falling, there is wire fencing at the viewing platform of the Grunewald Tower. It can obstruct your photos, but if you’re able to lean over the info placards and get your lens right up against the fencing, you can still get some nice photos through the gaps.

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Things to do near the Grunewaldturm

If you’re interested in spending more time in this area, there are lots of other things to do near the Grunewaldturm.

Go hiking in the forest

The Grunewald is a huge forest, and it’s a great place to go hiking and enjoy other outdoor activities. If you’ve come this far to climb the tower, it’s worth factoring in time for a hike, even a short one.

Across the street from the tower there’s a 4km (2.5 mile) marked trail that goes in a loop. There are signs along the way telling you about the forest and lots of other details, although they’re mostly in German, so it helps to have a translator app.

Pfaueninsel

Note: The castle on Peacock Island is closed and covered up for renovations/construction work until late 2023/early 2024.

If you can time it right, hop on the bus 218, the same one you took from the Sbahn to get to Grunewaldturm, and keep going in the same direction. The end stop for that bus in that direction is Pfaueninsel, though you do still have to take the super quick ferry across to the island.

Pfaueninsel, or Peacock Island, is a gorgeous island in the southwest corner of Berlin with a quirky castle where, yes, you can actually see peacocks roaming around. Go for a wander in nature and enjoy the beauty of this island.

Read more about what to do on Peacock Island and how to get to Pfaueninsel.

Olympic Stadium

During the Nazi regime, the Olympic Stadium was used to host propaganda events. This massive structure features the Waldbuhne, which is designed like an amphitheater.

Originally the Olympic gymnastics competitions site, the Waldbuhne is an open-air venue currently used for concerts and other large events. If you visit on a non-event day, you can take a tour of the stadium.

Take bus 218 back to the Heerstr Sbahn station and get on the S3 or S9 going towards Spandau and get out one stop later at Olympiastadion.

Teufelsberg

Tucked into the Grunewald, Teufelsberg is a former Cold War NSA spy station that’s been turned into one of the largest street art galleries in the world. You can take a tour to learn about the site’s Cold War history as well as see what it’s been transformed into today.

If you want to hike there from the Grunewald Tower, it’s roughly 4km (2.5 miles) but make sure you have a physical map or a cell phone with data connection to know where you’re going with Google Maps.

Otherwise take bus 218 back to the Heerstr Sbahn station, and then it’s still a 30 minute walk from there.

Platform 17 Memorial

The Grunewald Sbahn station in southwest Berlin was used by the Nazis in the early 1940s to transport Jews to concentration camps. Since it’s not centrally located, it was easier for the Nazis to make sure their prisoners weren’t seen while lining up to board the train.

Today the Platform 17 Memorial honors those who left from this station to horrible places and likely were killed. The memorial was sponsored by Deutsche Bahn, Germany’s railway company, and track 17 is no longer used by any trains.

Take bus 218 back to the Heerstr Sbahn station and get on the S3 or S9 back towards the city (either towards Erkner or towards BER Airport – NOT towards Spandau). When you get to Westkreuz, which is only a couple stops, get out and switch to the S7 towards Potsdam. Take the S7 one stop to Grunewald.

Or if you’d rather spend some time in the forest, you can hike east to get to Platform 17 and the Grunewald Sbahn station. It’s a little less than 6km (less than 4 miles) from the Grunewaldturm to Platform 17. Just make sure you have a physical map with hiking trails on it or a cell phone with data service to keep an eye on Google Maps as you go.

Spandau Citadel

Spandau is a neighborhood in the western part of Berlin that was once its own village. The Citadel dates back to the 12th century, and it was strategically built where the Havel and Spree Rivers meet.

Today the Citadel is a museum, and it’s quite an impressive complex. It’s one of my favorite castles in Berlin.

Take bus 218 back to the Heerstr Sbahn station and get on the S3 or S9 going towards Spandau. From there you can either wander through the Spandau old town until you reach the Citadel, or you can switch to the U7 (the station for the Ubahn is technically Rathaus Spandau) for two stops and get out at Zitadelle.

Berlin Travel Resources

I want you to have the best trip to Berlin, and hopefully this guide to visiting the Grunewaldturm in Berlin is helpful. But there are lots more tips on the site!