turm

Turm is a German noun meaning a tower or tall, vertical structure. It denotes a structure that rises above surrounding buildings and serves a variety of purposes, including observation, defense, signaling, or housing bells, clocks, or other functions. Towers are common components of churches, castles, citadels, and city fortifications, as well as standalone structures such as water towers and transmission towers.

Common types of towers include Kirchturm (church tower), Stadtturm or Stadtwardturm (city tower), Wehrturm or Wachturm (defense or watch tower), and Wasserturm (water tower). Architecturally, towers vary in shape—round, polygonal, or square—and may be crowned with a spire, battlements, or a roof. They can be integral to a larger building or stand as ceremonial or functional landmarks within a town or landscape.

The word Turm is of Germanic origin. It is related to cognates in other Germanic languages, such as Dutch toren and English tower, with an etymological lineage tracing back to earlier forms related to Latin turris in the broader Indo-European language context.

In addition to its architectural use, Turm appears in German place names and as a surname. The term also features in cultural and historical descriptions of towns, fortifications, and religious buildings, where towers symbolize vantage, strength, or ascent.

See also: Clock tower, Bell tower, Minaret, Wasserturm, Kirchturm, Wehrturm, Wachturm.