The tower was named after Professor Ernst Danz, an honorary citizen of Iserlohn who died on May 28, 1905. Among other things, he had rendered outstanding services in the field of higher education and had worked intensively for the reforestation of the Iserlohn city forest. In order to finance the construction of the tower, money was collected from the Iserlohn merchants and the population. Furthermore, a bazaar was held in the "Alte Halle" on the Alexanderhöhe on October 10 and 11, 1908, which was organized as a large public festival. The bazaar raised about 12,500 marks.
The tower was built from these donations by the construction company Otto Schmidt and planned by the architects Fromme Brothers. The tower was inaugurated on the Telegraphenberg on May 22, 1909, with a grand ceremony and an address by the then first mayor, Hölzerkopf. It is 28 m high and offers a magnificent panoramic view over the Sauerland and the Hellweg. The Sauerland Mountain Association placed a commemorative plaque on the tower for its founding member Prof. Danz. The Danzturm became the town's landmark and survived the First and Second World Wars unscathed.
The meadow directly under the Danzturm provides recreational fun in the winter season. It invites you to tobogganing and skiing even in the evening hours under floodlight. A special highlight is the annual city championships in skiing.
The Danzturm is freely accessible as long as the restaurant in the neighboring building is open. From the viewing platform you can overlook the city of Iserlohn and, in good weather, look as far as Dortmund, Unna and Hamm.