Landsberg am Lech city fortifications
The medieval city fortification of the large district town Landsberg am Lech ( Upper Bavaria ) was built in three sections from the 13th to the 16th century and was expanded during the 16th and 17th centuries. Century strengthened by bastions . The almost completely preserved walling, together with the historical building stock in the old town, form an urban ensemble of supraregional rank.
history
The first fortification of the city was built towards the end of the 13th century. In 1315 the Lech Gate appears in a document. At that time the settlement was probably completely surrounded by walls and palisade walls. In 1315 and probably again in 1319 violent fighting broke out in connection with the dispute between Ludwig the Bavarian and Frederick the Fair of Austria.
First city wall
This original city wall was connected to the ducal castle on the Schlossberg and pulled down to the " beautiful tower ", the first access to the city. The course of the wall or rampart can still be traced in today's city plan. It led around the parish church to the abandoned "Fronvesttor" and on to the preserved "Fronfestturm" ("Hexenturm"), ran parallel to the Lech to the "Nonnenturm", and then came back to the castle in the west. The high Gothic wall is partially preserved up to a height of over eight meters, but mostly included in buildings. The southern part comes from a first expansion of the city area. The old south wall at the former "Kiebltörl" probably extended to the castle, perhaps even from the tower at the former Ursuline monastery. However, there are no clear remains of the wall here.
Small city expansion in the east and west
Around the middle of the 14th century, the urban area was expanded somewhat to the east. The tower in the “Witches' Quarter” has been preserved from this. The "Pfettener Tor" has disappeared today, it became dispensable after the great city expansion. In the west, too, some houses at the “Schweizertor” (Metzgertor) were integrated into the city wall ring.
Great urban expansion in the 15th century
From 1410/20 until the second quarter of the 15th century there was a generous expansion of the urban area, the fortifications of which are still so impressively preserved. As a border town, Landsberg had been in possession of rich trading privileges since the early 14th century, which resulted in rapid population growth. The new prosperity was endangered by the political unrest (city wars) of this time. The new settlers looked for security behind the city walls, which were also the legal border. Settlers became " citizens " with the corresponding privileges. For reasons of fiscal policy, among other things, the dukes promoted Landsberg's expansion into a trading metropolis and border fortress through discounts and monetary donations. Duke Ernst's wife , Elisabeth Visconti , donated 40 pounds pfennigs to the citizens in 1425 for the construction of the defensive wall. In 1426 Landsberg did not have to pay taxes for a whole year.
From a strategic point of view, the eastern wall was relocated to the arid and thus hostile plateau above the river. The southeast area of the old town is still undeveloped today. The village of Phetine in the depression behind the Schlossberg was completely included in the fortification, and the castle hill itself was also within the city.
The new city gates were the “Sandauer Tor” in the north, the mighty “Bayertor” on the plain and the Bäckertor in the west. The Lechtor was rebuilt in a representative way, as it was the main entrance from the Swabian, ie "foreign" area. In 1425 the “ Bayertor ” was completed, to which the preserved outwork was added until 1439.
The last expansion of the medieval city area took place in the first half of the 16th century, when the economic district (Mühlbachquartier) on the Lech was included in the fortification. The Färbertor in front of the Bäckertor of the big city expansion was built as an entrance. As a defensive tower on the southwest corner, the "Wagner Tower" grew in height.
The threats posed by the " Swabian Federation " (founded in 1485) made it necessary to modernize the fortifications towards the end of the 15th century. For example, the loopholes and battlements were rebuilt and individual parts of the wall were reinforced. At that time, the fortification was only of limited use in view of the rapid development of weapon technology. The brickwork was usually only about 80 to 90 centimeters thick, so it would not have withstood an artillery fire for long. Only the “Great Powder Tower” and the “ Färberturm ” were built into cannon towers and the “Färbertor” was sheathed.
Thirty Years' War
The expansion was continued in the 16th century through individual building measures. The "Färberturm" on the north-west corner has been a flat round bastion since then (casing unhistorically renewed), and the "Powder Tower" also received a new cannon shell. However, the late medieval walling was largely preserved.
The Thirty Years' War brought new dangers to the cities of the electorate . In 1631, Elector Maximilian ordered the fortifications in his domain to be strengthened. For this purpose, the urban and rural population was obliged to carry out extensive digging work. The government appointed the Munich engineer Hieronymus Damian to be the supervisor. In the course of these measures, the "Sandau Gate Tower" was also rebuilt. The city gates of Augsburg served as models .
Nevertheless, the Swedes were able to occupy Landsberg in 1632 without a fight. The imperial troops then shelled the city and laid the wall at the "Powder Tower" in ruins. The city changed hands several times. Both parties continued the work on the entrenchments to develop Landsberg into a troop base. In April 1633 the Protestants under General Torstenson succeeded in taking again. This time the fortifications should be finally demolished. The experienced fortress builder Elias Holl from Augsburg was even called in for this . The dismantling of the battlements of the medieval city wall began. In autumn 1634, Landsberg became imperial again. The fortification work was resumed. However, the Swedes had already done considerable damage. On July 26, 1635, the craftsmen submitted extensive damage documentation to the magistrate . Walls and battlements were badly damaged. In the end, 38,371 florins had to be spent on restoration . In 1646 the Swedes invaded Bavaria again, the fortification work was continued again.
18th and 19th centuries
Between 1703 and 1704 the War of the Spanish Succession required a further expansion, which had to be continued during the War of the Austrian Succession (1741).
The renovation measures of 1783 were primarily intended to prevent the soldiers stationed in the city from deserting. For this purpose, some gaps in the wall were closed and some cannon holes were made smaller.
Under Napoléon Bonaparte , Landsberg, Schongau , Friedberg and Augsburg were to be developed into bridgeheads. 1,000 workers and a hundred carpenters began building wooden palisades and repairing the bastions. The peace treaty in Pressburg put an end to activities until the last time entrenchment works were carried out on the orders of the Bavarian king .
At the end of 1803, Elector Max IV. Joseph allowed some of his towns and markets to be defused. In Landsberg, the large Lech Gate fell in 1806/07 and was replaced by a new city entrance with small, classicist sentry boxes. The “Swiss Gate” and several wall towers also disappeared or were humiliated in the following years. King Ludwig I reversed his father's decree in January 1826. The art-loving king had recognized the historical and architectural-historical value of such fortifications, even if he initially referred to the fortification benefits of the fortifications. Nevertheless, between 1830 and 1840 the “Pfettener Tor” fell in the “ Alte Bergstrasse ”.
In 1850 the city was allowed to remove the earth entrenchments in front of the Bayertor, as there was no ancient value. In 1874/75 the bastions to the east of "Epfenhausener Straße" also disappeared.
20th century
From 1902, the Royal Conservatory General oversaw the conservation efforts. The partial restoration of the filled trench north of the Bayer Gate began around 1907. The foundations of the kennel could also be exposed.
In 1935/36 the "Neue Bergstrasse" was laid in the ditch in front of the Schlossberg. The city wall had to be broken below the “Jungfernsprung”. The moat was also partially filled in or changed. However, in the course of the construction work, the city and Zwingermauer were restored with the old brick material and some of the wall crowns were rebuilt.
In 1942, the National Socialists planned to expand Landsberg into the “ City of Youth ”. A restoration or the reconstruction of missing parts of the city wall was also considered. The end of the war made all these plans irrelevant.
After the Second World War, extensive restoration work began in 1964, which continues to this day. A small section of the wall had to be laid down and rebuilt as a concrete wall with brick facing. Other sections have been renovated and plastered as originally. The monument protection year 1975 brought the renovation of the "Bayertore". After 1984 those responsible changed the renovation concept . The cement plaster, which had not proven itself, was dispensed with and the only fragmentarily preserved wall crowns of entire sections were rebuilt with old brick material. Large stretches of the wall are therefore today unplastered and at their original height.
Description of the preserved parts of the city wall
The first city wall consisted largely of double-shell Nagelfluh and tuff stone masonry with fillings of natural stone and Lech pebbles. The later extensions are built in solid brick, the walls only about two stone lengths wide (about 80–85 cm). The bases of the towers are wider (by 1.10 m). The foundations of the double wall were about 1.20 to 1.40 meters thick. To protect against weathering, the wall surfaces were covered with a thin plaster skin.
In total, the sections of the wall that have been preserved are over two kilometers long. The expansion of the city in the 15th century is still almost completely surrounded by its late Gothic fortifications; the remains of the moats and kennels have also been preserved here. The wall of the high medieval city center has also been partly worn out and is easy to follow.
First city wall
The most striking remainder is the "beautiful tower" above the market square . The seven-storey brick building with an ogival opening was largely renewed around 1450 and transformed into a representative city tower with a clock tower. In the 16th century the tower was painted (remains preserved), today the bare brickwork can be seen again.
The “tower in the narrow row” can be found about 50 m to the north. The exposed brick building is structured by a few simple round arch friezes and has been preserved almost at its original height. The "Fronfesttor" is documented by a photograph from 1862 (city museum). The demolition took place in the same year.
The adjoining city wall to the “Fronvest Tower” is still in place in the west and stands on a foundation made of Lechkieseln and Nagelfluh. The "Fronfestturm" (Witches' Tower) is five storeys and is of a simple gable roof completed. Small window openings break through the brickwork.
The stump of the "nun tower" in the southwest corner with the adjoining city wall was also preserved. The fortifications projecting in the shape of a horseshoe are supplemented by an extension from 1924 on the city side. The adjoining wall goes up to the "Jungfernsprungturm". In between are the "Schiessörl" (a simple passage) and the wall tower next to it.
The "Jungfernsprung" on the hill was originally an open shell tower from the 15th century, which was later closed and raised. In the 19th century, the slender, seven-story semicircular building served as a water tower . The adjoining wall is around 8 to 9 meters high, the former "Waghals" a strong rectangular tower on the castle wall, but has disappeared.
A wall tower of the small eastern city expansion is included in a house on the "Alte Bergstrasse". Remnants of the city wall can still be seen. The corner tower "Am Mühlbach" of the western extension is completely in one building. Remains of the original diamond painting, which was reconstructed under the eaves of the house (Salzgasse 127), have been preserved on the tower shaft.
Big city expansion
The wall of the great urban expansion of the 15th century is still largely in place, even if some parts have been changed or reshaped. The two main gates in the east and north are also still in line with the wall. The strikingly weak, eight to nine meter high brick wall stands on a foundation of tufa and nagelfluh. The wall crowns have largely been renewed, the notches changed or even rebuilt with the old material. Remains of the kennels are in front of the east and south sides. The kennel on the "Neue Bergstrasse" has survived best. The trenches are largely there, but flattened in front of the east side.
The wooden battlements and fixtures in the shell towers have disappeared, but the top of the walls has largely been restored. There are still 16 shell towers in the wall, which are supplemented by seven closed towers and the main gates.
The ensemble is impressively complemented by the remains of the modern bastion fortifications. The ski jump at the “Big Powder Tower” and the southern ski jump in front of the “Neue Bergstrasse” are clearly recognizable.
The goals
The eastern main gate is the approximately 36 meter high " Bayertor ", which is considered to be the most beautiful and impressive gate tower in southern Bavaria (see main article).
Today's " Sandauer Tor " in the north was built around 1627/28. The five-storey gate tower is reminiscent of the gate buildings of the imperial city of Augsburg, about 40 kilometers to the north . In particular, Elias Holl's “ clinker gate ” seems to have served as a model here. Since 1947/48 the adjoining city wall has been interrupted by a round arched passage.
The " Bäckertor " (after 1435) complemented the "Lechtor" as a second entrance on the Lech side. The three-story brick tower is crowned on the city side by a steep, stepped roof. The field side, on the other hand, shows a hipped helmet with a pointed attachment.
When the fortifications were expanded to include the Mühlbach district, the “ Färbertor ” was placed in front of the gate around 1520/30 . The "Färbertor" has had a hipped mansard roof over the two upper floors since around 1800 . Originally small watch towers flanked a steep pointed helmet. The ogival passage is also in the late Gothic tradition.
The towers
The adjoining city wall train leads up the slope to the “Dachlturm” (Lueginsland), the highest of the preserved defense towers. The name "Lueginsland" indicates its function as a watch and peep tower. However, it does not stand on the edge of the slope, but in the upper third of the slope wall. The eleven brick floors were built around 1415/20 or a little later (upper part). The floor plan is horseshoe-shaped, the back wall is bricked up. Like the city wall, the “Dachlturm” was originally plastered.
Next to the “Sandauer Tor” a shell tower jumps out of the wall, the tiled upper floor of which rises above a round-arched frieze.
Next door is the stump of the “Färberturm” at the northwest corner of the fortification. The last stage of the large, circular cannon tower used to have two defensive floors, today only the ground floor is preserved (the exterior has been heavily renovated).
The east side of the wall is reinforced by thirteen half towers. They are open on the city side. An enemy who had entered could not entrench himself in this way.
The mighty “Great Powder Tower” rises up on the northeast corner. The plastered five-story round tower with its conical roof (19th century) dates back to the 15th century, but was raised and expanded in the 16th century. The adjacent area was and is still undeveloped, which is why the tower also served as a powder magazine. The top floor is broken through by nine large arched shooting openings.
The two-storey, horseshoe-shaped stump of the Wagner tower in the Mühlviertel is included in a small residential building and has windows.
The kennel
Despite the good preservation of the curtain wall, the original fortification concept can only be experienced to a limited extent, as the upstream kennel complex has only been handed down in fragments. In the north-east only the foundations are left, and the trench is only a shallow hollow here. In addition to the "Great Powder Tower", however, the upper part of a kennel tower protrudes from the ground.
Extensive remains can be seen on both sides of the “Bayer Gate”. The section on the “Neue Bergstrasse” conveys the medieval concept most clearly. The terrain (ditch) was changed when the road was built.
The kennel, which was built immediately after the curtain wall, was placed in front of the wall at a distance of about six to seven meters. The parapet was about five to five and a half meters above the bottom of the trench. The shell towers were about ten meters high and - in contrast to the semicircular towers of the main wall - partly rectangular. The essays of the examples that have been preserved have all been changed or restored in a historicizing manner (around 1900).
Image sources and plans
(Selection, images in the inventory volume)
- The oldest view of the city (southwest part) as the background on the " Landsberger Nativity " (late Gothic altar panel, around 1460/70, Augsburg State Gallery)
- City view from the west with the former Lechtor (around 1566), drawing by Ludwig Schliem (Bavarian Main State Archives, Munich)
- "Landtsperg". View from the west (around 1583), fresco by Hans Donauer the Elder (Antiquarium of the Munich Residence)
- City view from the west on an altar panel of the former Hl. Geist-Spitalkirche (1628, now Stadtmuseum Landsberg)
- College and grammar school of the Jesuits with the adjacent east wall of the city fortifications (around 1700). Engraving by Michael Wening
- “Instead of Landtsperg”, view from the west (around 1700). Engraving by Michael Wening
- City view from the west. Votive picture on the occasion of the French bombing on 10/11. July 1800, donated in 1801 (Landsberg, Holy Cross)
- Ground plan of the city of Landsberg (dated 1787), col. Pen drawing by Alan Gerold (Stadtmuseum Landsberg)
- Recording sheet for the original cadastre (around 1808/10). Colored ink drawing, Josef Leber and Michael Huber (Bavarian State Surveying Office, Munich, No. 3560/70)
literature
- Ingrid Bömer: The city gates of Landsberg am Lech (Master's thesis, LMU Munich). Munich, 1989
- Dagmar Dietrich: Landsberg am Lech, Volume I: Introduction - Buildings in Public Sector (The Art Monuments of Bavaria, New Series, 2/1, Landsberg am Lech, Volume I). Munich, Berlin, 1995. ISBN 3-422-00571-4
- Dagmar Dietrich: The Landsberg city fortifications . In: Landberger Geschichtsblätter, 91/92. Landsberg am Lech, 1992/93
- Sigfried Hofmann: Landsberg am Lech (large art guide, 35). Munich, Zurich, 1961
- Sebastian Rieger: About the development and growth of the city of Landsberg am Lech . Landsberg am Lech, 1933
- Stefan Timpe: The city wall of Landsberg am Lech . A contribution to the inventory of the city of Landsberg am Lech (final thesis, Bamberg Otto-Friedrich-Universität, 1989)
