Pfaffenturm (Aachen)
The Pfaffenturm (also called Suylisturm ) was a defense tower of the outer city wall of the city of Aachen, which was built between 1300 and 1350 . It is one of the few remaining towers of the former city fortifications.
location
The Pfaffenturm is now near the intersection of Lochnerstrasse and Junkerstrasse. In the outer wall ring it stood in the west-southwest as the only tower between the Junkerstor and the Königstor .
Immediately south of the Pfaffenturm, the Johannisbach , also called Suylisbach, flowed under the city wall into the city and filled the moat with water downhill towards the Jakobstor. The name Suylisturm is derived from this brook. The flow opening of the stream was secured with a strong iron grating, and above the stream flow there was a weir bay , through whose floor hatches stones could be thrown to defend the flow against intruders. Between the Pfaffenturm and the Königstor there was also the only oriel of the Aachen city wall known by name , the wall louse .
history
The Pfaffenturm was built relatively late between 1442 and 1456. It was given the name Pfaffenturm because the clerics of the Münsterstift had to pay for the wages and food of the guards in this defense tower.
Today the tower is operated by the student association KDSt.V. Ripuaria Aachen ( CV ) used.
description
The Pfaffenturm was the only completely round tower (without flattening) on the outer city wall. About three quarters of its circumference was outside the city wall in the city moat, about a quarter within the city wall. Today's two-storey tower has a diameter of 9 m and a height of 8.65 m. Originally the tower had three storeys and had a conical roof.
The two lower floors had loopholes for archers and crossbowmen , while the upper floor had wider shooting hatches, which could be closed by wooden flaps, for the use of guns such as B. Ballista . Today the loopholes and hatches have been replaced by windows.
The circular floor plan and the presence of loopholes and portholes also in the direction of the city, which made it possible to defend the tower on all sides, suggests that it was also used as a refuge when intruders were already in the city.
literature
- Bruno Lerho : The great Aachen city wall with gates and towers . Helios Verlag, Aachen 2006, ISBN 3-938208-37-6 .
- Carl Rhoen : The fortifications of the free imperial city of Aachen . Anton Creutzer, Aachen 1894, urn : nbn: de: hbz: 061: 1-230540 ( ISL Aachen [PDF; accessed on May 7, 2016]).
See also
Web link
Coordinates: 50 ° 46 ′ 23.7 " N , 6 ° 4 ′ 22.4" E