Cloos Tower (Cloostårnet)

A hilltop landmark above Frederikshavn

Cloos Tower, or Cloostårnet, stands on the rolling slopes of Flade Bakker just southwest of Frederikshavn, crowning a ridge of woodland and heath that rises high above the town and harbor. From a distance, the slim, pale shaft of the tower is visible from ships entering the Kattegat and from roads across much of northern Jutland, acting as a vertical exclamation mark in an otherwise low landscape. At 60 meters tall and around 160 meters above sea level at the viewing platform, it is one of the highest built viewpoints in the region. The tower’s position gives it a different feel from coastal lighthouses: instead of looking only out to sea, you hover above a patchwork of fields, forests and towns that seems to radiate in every direction.

A gift from the Cloos family

The story of the tower begins with merchant and consul Christian Cloos, a wealthy Frederikshavn citizen with strong ties to the surrounding countryside. In his will, he donated the land at Flade Bakker together with funds on the condition that a lookout tower be built here in memory of his parents, Christian Ludvig and Oline Henriette Cloos. Debate and delays meant that several early proposals never left the drawing board. Only the firm deadline in the bequest – the tower had to be completed by 1962 – finally pushed the project forward. Architect Leopold Teschl won the design competition, originally envisioning an ambitious revolving restaurant at the top. When the tower was inaugurated on 18 April 1962, the more modest final structure nevertheless fulfilled Cloos’s wish: a commanding vantage point and a lasting memorial on the hill.

Architecture shaped for big skies

Seen up close, Cloos Tower is a study in functional, early-1960s Danish modernism. The clean, vertical volume rises from a low base building, its surfaces largely unadorned so the focus stays on the views rather than decoration. Rectangular window openings punctuate the tower skin, and the overall impression is of a rational, engineered object set into soft, natural surroundings. Inside, a central core houses an elevator alongside a tight spiral of stairs – 315 steps in total – giving visitors a choice between a gentle ride or a leg-burning climb. At the top, a glazed viewing area and open gallery wrap around the structure. On bright days the sunlight floods the space; on grey days, clouds seem to press right up against the windows, emphasizing the tower’s height above the landscape.

Horizons that stretch across Vendsyssel

The panorama is the tower’s true draw. To the north, your eye follows the narrowing peninsula all the way towards Skagen, where the North Sea and the Kattegat meet in a pale, hazy line. Turning eastward, the islands of Hirsholmene and Læsø sit like low silhouettes on the horizon, their shapes shifting with the light and the weather. Looking south and west, the inland countryside opens up: the wooded ridge of Jyske Ås, scattered wind turbines, and the distinctive dunes near Rubjerg Knude on the distant west coast. Below you, Frederikshavn spreads out as a compact urban patchwork, its harbor infrastructure and palm-fringed beach giving way quickly to farmland and forest. In clear air, the sense of distance is remarkable; on days with changing cloud cover, moving shadows animate the landscape like a slow theatre.

Forest edge, playground and picnic green

The base of the tower is designed as a relaxed recreational area that invites you to linger before or after the ascent. A small kiosk offers ice cream, coffee, sweets and simple refreshments during the open season, and nearby tables and benches encourage unhurried picnics. A fixed barbecue grill in the square and grassy patches under the trees make it easy to turn a short visit into an afternoon outdoors. For children, the on-site playground adds a welcome burst of energy, with climbing structures and open space to run around while adults enjoy the view or a quiet coffee. Restrooms are available during tower opening hours, which helps the place function as an accessible mini-excursion for families, small groups or solo travelers who simply want a break from the town centre.

Gateway to Bangsbo and the beech woods

Cloos Tower does not stand in isolation: it is tucked into the edge of Vandværksskoven, a predominantly beech forest that links the hilltop with the wider Bangsbo area. From the tower, marked trails lead into the woods, giving walkers and runners the option to combine a viewpoint visit with a short forest loop or a longer outing towards Bangsbo Museum and its historic gardens. This green setting also shapes the atmosphere on the hill. In summer, the beech canopy filters the light and adds a chorus of birdsong beneath the steady rush of wind around the viewing deck. In spring and autumn, shifting leaf colors frame the concrete shaft in fresh greens or warm browns, constantly altering the approach to the tower. Even outside the tower’s open season, the surrounding landscape remains a calm, airy place to explore on foot.