Bismarck Tower in Żary

The Bismarck Tower in Żary, known as Bismarckturm Sorau, is an unfinished structure erected in 1914 to commemorate the 99th birthday of Otto von Bismarck. The initiative for its construction came from local organizations, including the Riesengebirgsverein section and the Żary City Beautification Association. However, work was halted due to the outbreak of World War I, and after the war, diminishing Bismarck worship and economic difficulties prevented the resumption of construction. Ultimately, despite the installation of wooden stairs, the project remained incomplete. After World War II, the tower was converted into an observation point, and in the 1970s, a wooden observatory was added. It served this purpose until 1980, when a new tower was built. Since then, unprotected from vandalism, it fell into ruin, with numerous acts of destruction and theft of building materials, such as granite stairs, contributing to its degradation. An interesting fact is that the tower was intended to reach a height of 42 meters but ultimately only reached 25 meters. The structure, made of granite, brick, and wood, cost approximately 140,000 marks. Today, the tower is inaccessible to visitors, and its future remains uncertain in the context of heritage preservation and the fight against vandalism. Nearby stands the Promnitz Tower, which serves similar functions. The tower remains an important element of local history and architecture, despite its current state of disrepair and the inability to fully utilize it.