History

The tower was erected in 1935 in the place of a former ordensburg. The construction works were preceded by excavation works conducted from May 1934. After they were finalised, a cottage with a thatched roof was to be built on the peak of the hill, to house a museum. Ultimately, owing to the initiative of the staroste of Górzów Wielkopolski, Dr Faust, the plans were changed. The building was given a form reminiscent of a Teutonic Knights’ tower. There were plans to arrange an observation platform on the uppermost floor, and on the lower storeys - an exhibition of the excavations. The author of the design was district architect named Heckel. The official opening of the facility took place on 2 July 1935.

Description

Santok is a linear settlement located along the bed of the Warta river, and at the same time along a high escarpment forming the forepart of an extensive high plain. The tower is located on the ridge of a hill, so-called Castle Peak. It is circumscribed with a moat. In front of it, on the opposite side of the Warta river, there is an early medieval hillfort.

The tower was built on a square floor plan, 6.5 m by 6.5 m. It has three storeys and a cuboid shape. Its body is topped with a tented roof clad in ceramic tiles of monk-and-nun type. The walls of the first and the second storey are built of split stone, and the third storey is based on a timber frame. Originally, the latter formed an open observation terrace. Currently, it is entirely glazed. The main entrance to the building is located in the northern wall at the first floor level. It is preceded by one-flight stone stairs. At the level of the second storey, in the northern and southern wall, there are three small window openings on each wall, topped with blunt pointed arches. Smaller windows of similar profile were used in the eastern, western, and southern façade.

Limited access to the historic building. Private property — the site can be viewed from the outside.

compiled by Anna Jackiewicz, Regional Branch of the National Heritage Board of Poland in Zielona Góra, 21-11-2014.

Bibliography

• Garbacz K., Przewodnik po zabytkach województwa lubuskiego, t. 3: Powiaty: gorzowski - słubicki - sulęciński - międzyrzecki - strzelecko drezdenecki, Zielona Góra 2013, s. 78.
• Piotrowski R., Dzieje Santoka - gród, wieś i okoliczne miejscowości, Santok 2007.
• Karta ewidencyjna, Wieża widokowa, oprac. W. Witek, 1991, Archiwum Wojewódzkiego Urzędu Ochrony Zabytków w Gorzowie Wlkp.