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A futuristic concrete almost as tall as The Shard in London is situated in the middle of a forest in . The huge twisting tower dominates the countryside landscape near the medieval town of Rottweil in southwest .

While The Shard, Central Park Tower in and Marina 101 in Dubai are home to ultra-modern apartments with incredible views of their respective cities, this skyscraper was built for an entirely different purpose. This 807-foot (246-metre) skyscraper is designed to test lifts. The TK Elevator Testturm has 12 shafts used to test different elevator systems, which together measure up to 6,560 feet (1.24 miles).

At 807ft, the TK Elevator Testturm is taller than One Canada Square in Canary Wharf, , which stands at 771ft tall, while The Shard measures 1,016ft.

In its home country, only Commerzbank Tower (850ft) and Messeturm (841ft) are taller than the new skyscraper in Germany.

The construction of TK Elevator Testturm in 2017 took an impressive 10 months, with crews working three shifts around the clock. In total, 176,600 cubic feet of concrete, 200 rock nails and 2,640 tonnes of steel were used to build the structure.

Inside the tower, next-generation lift technology is being tested, including high-speed models and even systems that can move horizontally as well as vertically.

Unsurprising given its futuristic appearance, the tower has also taken on a new role - it is now a popular tourist attraction. It boasts a viewing platform at 761ft with an unobstructed view of the and the Swiss Alps, a sharp contrast to the medieval town of Rottweil nearby, whose appearance has changed very little since the 16th century.

At weekends and on bank holidays, can ascend to the viewing platform for €9 (£7.50) for adults and €5 (£4.20) for children.

For those looking for a sporting challenge, the TK Testturm has hosted the Towerrun since 2018. Runners race to climb the 1,390 steps to the viewing platform.