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A special vantage point in the Westerwald is the Barbara Tower in Malberg. And the tower itself is also something special: at this exposed spot on the Steineberger Höhe, the hoisting frame of a former mine has been rebuilt. The rope drum and a small shaft house complement the imposing steel structure, creating a harmonious overall picture.
After climbing 96 steps, you reach the viewing platform at a height of around 20 metres. From here, there is a magnificent panoramic view across the densely wooded landscape – with a direct view of Hachenburg Castle. On a clear day, the striking Siebengebirge mountains on the Rhine also seem close enough to touch. A fresh breeze often blows on the Steineberger Höhe – a well-known hallmark of the Westerwald. The crisp mountain air is invigorating and invites you to take a deep breath.
Visitors unfamiliar with the area can learn about the Barbara Tower and its history from maps and information boards. Today, the tower has found its permanent home in the municipality of Betzdorf-Gebhardshain. Take a brief journey back in time and enjoy the breathtaking views from the Steineberger Höhe.
The Barbara Tower completes the ensemble of the Bindweide Mine visitor centre: after all, no mine is complete without a winding tower! Following the multimedia exhibition in the visitor centre and the mine smithy, the winding tower from a former mine in the Harz Mountains was finally re-erected here – 15 years after it was dismantled.
In a public naming competition, ‘Barbaraturm’ emerged as the clear winner. It is named after Saint Barbara, who is regarded as the patron saint of miners.
Shortly after its inauguration in May 2014, the Barbaraturm became a tourist attraction and a landmark of the new municipality of Betzdorf-Gebhardshain.
The Barbaraturm is a landmark on the Druidensteig quality hiking trail, a starting point for walks and cycle rides, a rest and picnic area, and also a popular meeting place. Time and again, the tower also serves as a special backdrop for various activities and events. In June 2020, for example, it was impressively illuminated as part of an elaborate lighting display.
In the run-up to Christmas, the Barbara Tower has been offering a very special eye-catcher for several years now: the largest Advent wreath in the Westerwald regularly adorns the top of the tower, making it shine with festive splendour visible from afar.
History
The Barbara Tower on the Steineberger Höhe in Malberg impresses not only with its fascinating views, but also with its eventful history. ‘A winding tower on a journey’ – this is the headline of many articles about the famous Barbara Tower. For the tower has indeed travelled a long way, having left its original location in the Harz Mountains.
Its story begins in 1941. At that time, the winding tower was erected above the West Shaft of the Grund lead-zinc ore mine in Bad Grund in the Harz Mountains. After 52 years, the ore mine in Grund was closed down and the winding tower was dismantled on 29 March 1999.
For many old mining landmarks, the story ends at this point in the scrapyard. For the headframe from the Harz Mountains, however, the journey was far from over: Bernd Mudersbach, owner of Mudersbach GmbH & Co. KG in Friedewald, saved the historic tower from being scrapped.
For 14 years, the winding tower was stored on the Mudersbach site, waiting to find a new home. In 2013, the then Gebhardshain municipal association decided to give the winding tower – which had since been named the Barbara Tower – a new home.
At its new location, the 22-metre-high tower was also fitted with a small headframe in the spring of 2014. It is reminiscent of the original building of the Westschacht in the Harz Mountains. The tower has found its new home just around 500 metres from the historic site of the Bindweide mine’s headframe.
Today, the Barbara Tower transports neither rock nor people. Instead, it attracts numerous walkers and visitors who wish to learn about its history and enjoy the impressive view.
An impressive hoisting framework as a viewing tower
Contact and directions
Bindweider Straße57629 Malberg
Contact
(0049) 2741 291 118
tourismus@vg-bg.de
Related links
https://bindweide.de/2025/09/19/barbaraturm/
