Diebsturm (Schaffhausen)
The two thefts were part of the western medieval city fortifications of Schaffhausen / Switzerland . The round towers with a polygonal tent roof were used as a prison for many years. Only the lower thief tower has survived.
Edification
The exact year of its construction is not known. The lower Diebsturm was first mentioned in 1414 as "Nieder diepthurm" as part of the city wall.
Lower theft rush
The lower thief tower is in Neustadt 13 near the house "Zum Schleifstein". From there you can enter the tower through a Gothic, pointed arched door. At its entire height of 20.7 m, it is best visible from Grabenstrasse. The street bears her name because it runs in the former city moat. The bare round tower was built from limestone rubble on a natural limestone rock. The wall thickness varies between 2 meters at the bottom and 1.25 meters at the top. One fifth of the tower protrudes over the row of houses in the new town. These houses used to be part of the former city wall. The tower is windowless and has only narrow notches . The round tower merges into a regular octagon towards the eaves. Above it is the 1.9 meter high tent roof , which was renewed in 1820 .
Since the theft is difficult to access from the outside, it cannot be used. The only staircase consists of hangers hammered into the exposed walls. During the Second World War, an air raid shelter was built into the tower in 1942. The tower has not been used since the end of the war, only birds nest in it. In 1954 the city of Schaffhausen acquired the tower from Fritz Baldinger for 12,000 francs. In 1995 the roof and part of the facade were renovated.
Upper theft storm
The upper theft tower used to stand at Neustadt 33. On February 19, 1858, the city council approved the demolition of the tower to the then owner and decorative painter Jakob Wüscher. A workshop was built in its place. The permit was granted on the condition that the tower be completely demolished.
See also
Other preserved structures of the former medieval city fortifications of Schaffhausen are:
Web links
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Coordinates: 47 ° 41 '38.8 " N , 8 ° 37' 56.2" E ; CH1903: 689,608 / 283 292