Nonnenstein

An observation tower over 100 years old

The landmark of the municipality of Rödinghausen was erected on one of the highest elevations of the Wiehengebirge, the Nonnenstein: the observation tower on the Nonnenstein.

A wooden observation tower had already been erected on the hill in the 19th century. In the last decade of the last century, several citizens founded a "tower building committee" to realize their wish for a stone observation tower on the highest point of the "Amt Rödinghausen". In keeping with the spirit of the times, construction began on the 100th birthday of Kaiser Wilhelm I - March 22, 1897. The tower was built mainly by volunteers and opened to the public in a ceremony on 11.07.1897.

In the 1960s, the trees surrounding the lookout tower outgrew the structure, which was only 9 m high, so that the landmark could neither be seen nor provide a view over the countryside. For this reason, the tower was raised by 5 m to 14 m in 1968.

In 1976, the council of the municipality of Rödinghausen decided to introduce a municipal coat of arms. On this coat of arms, the tower on the Nonnenstein, which stands on the stylized Wiehengebirge, is depicted in a central position under two red chevrons from the coat of arms of the Counts of Ravensberg.