Photo: Andrea Pock

Aussichtswarte Frutten-Gießelsdorf

St. Anna/Aigen, Styria

Eiffel Tower of Styria The observation tower is located in the middle of the "Weinwanderweg der Sinne" (Wine Hiking Trail of the Senses) in Frutten-Gießelsdorf. Especially in summer and autumn, it is a visitor magnet. On the one hand, this is probably due to the magnificent view, and on the other hand, the location is a hub for many hiking trails. The 40-meter-high Frutten-Gießelsdorf observation tower stands about one kilometer northwest of the village, which now belongs to the market town of Sankt Anna am Aigen. It was built between 1987 and 1988 in a joint initiative by the municipality of Frutten-Gießelsdorf and the Frutten-Gießelsdorf Tourism Association. Before that, a smaller wooden tower stood at this location. Over 20 tons of steel and 2,000 screws were "installed" in the tower. In 2004, it was restored and visually redesigned. For this purpose, the architectural competition "5 Blickpunkte im Vulkanland" (5 Viewpoints in Vulkanland) was announced, which included the observation towers of Auersbach, St. Peter am Ottersbach, Pirching am Traubenberg, Eichkögl, and Frutten-Gießelsdorf. Since then, the observation tower shines in fiery red. Once you have reached the 180 steps to the plateau at a height of 36 meters, you are rewarded with a magnificent view over the Hochstradner Plateau all the way to Sankt Anna am Aigen, the Königsberg in Tieschen, some Slovenian mountains, the Karawanken, Straden, the Koralm all the way to the Schöckl, the Hochlantsch, and the Fischbacher Alpen. On a clear day, you can see far into Hungary and Slovenia. Rest stop directly next to the observation tower Next to the observation tower, Renate Pranger operates a catering business with snacks, warm dishes, and delicious homemade pastries. Next door is a natural skittle alley. The observation tower is an excellent starting point for family-friendly hikes on the Stradner Kogel and is located directly on the Weinweg der Sinne.