Klangturm wooden musical sound tower

A many coloured musical tower from Hohenfried Werkstätten. Easily mistaken for a naive rainbow sculpture or else some kind of creative storage solution, this is rather a kind of musical toy. Marbles are dropped onto the highest level to roll down the variously sized fins causing appropriately descending notes to sound. Three marbles are supplied, but more could be used for an increasingly maniacal effect.
The German word 'heimat' has no true equivalent in English. It can and often is translated as homeland, home, or even community — it can be understood as the place where one feels most at home, feels a sense of belonging. Set amongst the German Alps the Hohenfried Heimat is precisely this, a home, a sustainable community of learning disabled individuals. 32 hectares currently provide homes and facilities for 40 children, 147 adults, and incorporate schools, social facilities, training, and employment. About 63cm high with a base of 24cm diameter.