Scratching tower

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Scratching tower and building garden around 1876
Site plan: The scratching tower at the intersection of Bahnhofstrasse and Börsenstrasse

The scratching tower was one of the towers in the left bank of the city ​​fortifications of Zurich and the seat of the fire guard.

history

The scratching tower was first mentioned in 1397 as scratching turn . It is named after the neighboring scratching area . It is also called "tower at the peak" more rarely.

1477 roofing work is proven, which could be an indication of an increase. In 1568, six prisoner cells were installed on the top floor and the roof was renewed. When the tower was demolished, a corresponding note was found in the tower ball on a lead tablet. In 1603 a paneled room and a kitchen with a chamber were installed. In 1699 the witness office gave the carpenter Linsi two floors. In 1723 Linsi was still in the tower, the high-level watchman Rütlinger Holz was stored on the bottom floor. In 1854 an apartment was set up for the fire guard. After various renovations and repairs, the tower was rebuilt one last time in 1870. Although city engineer Arnold Bürkli was vehemently committed to preserving the tower and presented a project to circumvent it, the city council decided in 1875 to demolish the tower. In March 1877 the scratching tower fell victim to the extension of Bahnhofstrasse, despite violent protests . The intersection of Börsenstrasse and Bahnhofstrasse runs through its location today.

description

Its floor plan was around 10 × 10 meters. It consisted of boulders and was 35 meters high, 24 meters to the roof. The thickness of the walls is said to be two meters at its strongest point and tapering towards the inside to a meter. The walls against Lake Zurich and the Froschengraben were a little thicker. At about two thirds of the height of the tower, a clear change in the masonry could be seen; it is conceivable that the tower was subsequently increased.

Building garden

In 1621 the "Bollwerk am Spitz" was built on a small moraine hill to the west of the scratching tower. Since there was no danger of war, the board of the building authority laid out a garden there and planted vegetables; hence the name "Baugarten". In 1804 the noble company “Zur Waag” leased the area, called itself “Baugarten-Gesellschaft” and set up a small inn with a bowling alley. The “Baugarten” became the most popular garden restaurant in Zurich and was the destination of numerous Sunday excursions. Numerous influential personalities frequented the building garden, such as the mayor Melchior Römer , Alfred Escher , Gottfried Semper , Gottfried Keller and Ignaz Heim . The Zurich Orchestra Association performed there on warm summer evenings.

In 1870, the Göschen host and pigeon fancier Zahn took over the business. His son, the writer Ernst Zahn , grew up in the building garden. In his memoirs he also describes the scratching tower. The Baugartengesellschaft was dissolved in 1904 by the last surviving board member.

gallery

  • Floor plan and section, as in 1870

  • Obere Bahnhofstrasse and scratching tower, 1870

  • Scratching tower with Baugarten restaurant, 1871

  • Scraper tower shortly before the demolition

  • cancellation

literature

  • Christine Barraud Wiener, Peter Jezler : The Art Monuments of the Canton of Zurich, City of Zurich Volume I. Wiese Verlag, Basel 1999.
  • Thomas Germann: Zurich in fast motion. Volumes I and II. Werd-Verlag Zurich, 1997 and 2000.
  • Fred Rihner: Illustrated history of Zurich's old town. Bosch Verlag, Zurich 1975.
  • Walter Baumann: Zurich - Bahnhofstrasse. Orell Füssli Verlag, Zurich 1972.
  • Walter Baumann: A guest in old Zurich. Hugendubel, Munich 1992.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Christine Barraud Wiener, Peter Jezler: Die Kunstdenkmäler des Kantons Zürich, Stadt Zürich Volume I , Wiese Verlag, Basel 1999
  2. ↑ Christine Barraud Wiener, Peter Jezler: Die Kunstdenkmäler des Kantons Zürich, Stadt Zürich Volume I , Wiese Verlag, Basel 1999
  3. ^ Walter Baumann: Zurich - Bahnhofstrasse, Orell Füssli Verlag, Zurich 1972
  4. ^ Fred Rihner: Illustrated history of the Zurich old town; Bosch Verlag, Zurich 1975
  5. ^ Walter Baumann: Zurich-Bahnhofstrasse, Zurich 1972

Coordinates: 47 ° 22 '4.2 "  N , 8 ° 32' 24"  E ; CH1903:  six hundred and eighty-three thousand one hundred and ninety  /  246916