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 Iserlohn's municipal forest. In order to finance the construction of the tower, money was collected from Iserlohn's merchants and the population, and a bazaar was held in the "Alte Halle" on Alexanderhöhe on October 10 and 11, 1908. Around 12,500 marks were raised at the bazaar.
The tower was built from these donations by the construction company Otto Schmidt and planned by the architects Fromme Bros. The tower was inaugurated on May 22, 1909 on Telegraphenberg with a grand ceremony and a speech by the first mayor at the time, Hölzerkopf. It is 28 m high and offers a magnificent panoramic view over the Sauerland and the Hellweg. The Sauerland Mountain Association placed a memorial 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 below the Danzturm provides recreational fun in the winter season. It is also ideal for tobogganing and skiing in the evening under floodlights. The annual town skiing championships are a particular highlight.
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, see as far as Dortmund, Unna and Hamme.