Renovation of the Bismarck Tower can begin

The renovation of the Bismarck Tower in Hof is picking up speed. The regional president of Upper Franconia has approved the city of Hof's grant of 350,000 euros, which will cover part of the work and the additional monument conservation costs for the tower restoration. This means that half of the estimated total costs of 750,000 euros have been secured, while the other half comes from donations collected by the town's curator Leo Reichel since 2020 and is backed by a great deal of support from the townspeople.

Mayor Eva Döhla: "This is great news at the end of the year. I would like to thank the Upper Franconia Foundation and all donors. Now that the contract has been awarded, we can take the first steps towards the urgently needed work. Hof can therefore look forward with confidence to the progress of a project that is being realized without municipal funding - a joint effort by sponsors, donors and the city. This creates a solid basis for maintaining the Bismarck Tower and preserving it for the future."

At its meeting on December 3, 2024, the construction committee of the Hof city council unanimously approved the award of the first construction work. The work, which was awarded to the company Preuße & Rätsch GmbH from Weimar, includes the renovation of the interior plaster, the ceilings and the steel girders as well as the repair of cracks in the tower's granite. The tender amount is EUR 177,623.04 and below the cost estimate; an in-depth examination confirmed the cost-effectiveness of the tender.

The renovation of the Bismarck Tower is a highly complex project that is subject to numerous structural and conservation requirements. The three planned construction phases include the renovation of the façade and staircase, the restoration of the inner staircase and the improvement of the indoor climate conditions in the tower.