Goetheturm

This guide to the Goetheturm in Frankfurt opens with a 3:17am fire call in October 2017 that sent the wooden tower up in flames, then traces the lookout's earlier lives: a first version raised in 1867, torn down after decay, and a 1931 rebuild funded by Jewish businessman Gustav Gerst and timed to honor the poet Goethe. It follows how the city and its residents responded after the arson, including two bank accounts that collected public donations. Pace yourself on the climb, the spiral staircase runs a full 196 steps.