City Tower
The City Tower is the survivor of two towers that controlled the only openings in the city fortifications for centuries. The second tower, located adjacent to the Spital chapel, next to the Nepomuk Bridge, was removed in the 19th century as the city walls were opened up. Since the fortifications went up in the early 1400’s until the walls were opened in the 19th century, all traffic into and out of the city was tightly controlled by these guarded towers. This south tower also accommodated the guard’s quarters above the gate. Now, it is a residence rented from the city which continues to own the property.
Protection of the city involved elaborate rituals. At a designated time, the gates of both towers were shut and locked for the night. The keys to the gates were given to the mayor for safekeeping. If entry was required after the gates were closed, the mayor would need to give his consent to enter and provide the keys. One of the great fears of the time was fire. In addition to keeping the peace on the dark streets, the night watchman, an important officer in the city of yore, kept a careful vigil for signs of fire within the walls of the city. Carrying a horn, lantern and a lance as his tools of the trade, he patrolled the streets and at intervals signaled to his partner, waiting at the tower window. They communicated using horns and lanterns. To ensure that the tower guard did not sleep through his shift duty, he was required to indicate that he was awake every hour.
Unfortunately, this routine did not protect the city tower itself from being consumed by fire. In the late 1800s, a fire engulfed the row of barns on what is now Johannes Boehm Strasse (the, Scheunestrasse or “Barn Street”). The blaze reached the tower and destroyed it as well. The tower was rebuilt. However, as one of the more visible elements of the city, it, too, was shelled and very badly damaged in the closing days of World War II.
From the City Tower, walk away from the city and turn left at the intersection onto Hemmersheimer Strasse, along which you can get a good glimpse of what the city walls and moat used to look like.
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City Wall
The City Tower is the survivor of two towers that controlled the only openings in the city fortifications for centuries. The second tower, located adjacent to the Spital chapel, next to the Nepomuk Bridge, was removed in the 19th century as the city walls were opened up. Since the fortifications went up in the early 1400’s until the walls were opened in the 19th century, all traffic into and out of the city was tightly controlled by these guarded towers. This south tower also accommodated the guard’s quarters above the gate. Now, it is a residence rented from the city which continues to own the property.
Protection of the city involved elaborate rituals. At a designated time, the gates of both towers were shut and locked for the night. The keys to the gates were given to the mayor for safekeeping. If entry was required after the gates were closed, the mayor would need to give his consent to enter and provide the keys. One of the great fears of the time was fire. In addition to keeping the peace on the dark streets, the night watchman, an important officer in the city of yore, kept a careful vigil for signs of fire within the walls of the city. Carrying a horn, lantern and a lance as his tools of the trade, he patrolled the streets and at intervals signaled to his partner, waiting at the tower window. They communicated using horns and lanterns. To ensure that the tower guard did not sleep through his shift duty, he was required to indicate that he was awake every hour.
Unfortunately, this routine did not protect the city tower itself from being consumed by fire. In the late 1800s, a fire engulfed the row of barns on what is now Johannes Boehm Strasse (the, Scheunestrasse or “Barn Street”). The blaze reached the tower and destroyed it as well. The tower was rebuilt. However, as one of the more visible elements of the city, it, too, was shelled and very badly damaged in the closing days of World War II.
From the City Tower, walk away from the city and turn left at the intersection onto Hemmersheimer Strasse, along which you can get a good glimpse of what the city walls and moat used to look like.
...next stop
City Wall