The Schwedenturm is a striking 35-metre sandstone tower in Saxon Switzerland, tucked away near the famous Bastei and the spa town of Rathen. It's not a peak you hike up in the usual sense — it's a free-standing rock that has become a legend among climbers.

The surrounding landscape is classic Saxon Switzerland — dramatic sandstone formations rising above dense forest, narrow gorges, and a sense of quiet wilderness just steps from one of the region's busiest tourist spots. In spring and summer the forest around the tower is lush and green, autumn brings rich colours to the trees, and in winter frost can transform the whole scene into something quietly dramatic. The tower itself stands proudly apart from the surrounding rock, its slender silhouette instantly recognisable to anyone who loves this climbing region.

How to get to the summit

• From the Bastei car park — head towards Schwedenlöcher, short approach, easy walk to the base
• The tower appears on the right, just before the trail opens into a narrow gorge

Practical information

• The Schwedenturm is climbed, not hiked — there's no standard walking route to the top, only climbing routes
• There are currently 14 different climbing routes on the rock
• It was here in 1983 that Bernd Arnold established '6. Versuch', the region's first route rated Xb

The first ascent of the Schwedenturm was made in 1905 by brothers Rudolf and Arymund Fehrmann — pioneers whose names are woven deep into the climbing history of Saxon Switzerland.