Perched on the summit of the Totenstein hill near Grüna in Saxony, this 30-metre steel observation tower rewards climbers with sweeping views stretching to the Ore Mountains and, on clear days, all the way to Leipzig's Monument to the Battle of the Nations. It's a modest climb for a genuinely rewarding panorama.

The Totenstein is the highest point of the Rabenstein ridge, and its summit plateau has been free of trees since the mid-19th century, opening up an uninterrupted view in every direction. In summer the surrounding forests and meadows of the Ore Mountains foothills glow green, autumn often brings the clearest air and best visibility, and in winter a dusting of snow across the hills gives the view from the platform a completely different atmosphere. It can get breezy up top, so a light jacket is worth packing even in warmer months.

How to get to the viewpoint

• Grüna (district of Chemnitz) — local trail, easy walk, suitable for most visitors
• Also reachable from nearby villages along the Rabenstein ridge

Practical information

• Climbing the tower is free of charge
• The current tower was built in 1998, modelled on the original from 1886
• Best visibility toward the Ore Mountains on clear days

A fun fact: Frank Müller, a local from Chemnitz, has climbed the tower over 61,000 times and volunteers as its unofficial guardian, personally removing graffiti and other vandalism.