Tratzenzwinger

Blaues A tower , view from the west, 2010

The Tratzenzwinger is part of the fortification of the Pegnitz tributaries in the last Nuremberg city fortifications .

Location and surroundings

In the area of the Pegnitz inlets on the eastern side of the city wall, the Zwinger extends on the eastern end of the island of Schütt between the two Pegnitz arms, behind which the towers Blaues A and Schwarzes Z rise .

Fortifications at the casemate gate, around 1900, view from the east

The casemate gate, which leads to the Wöhrder meadow , is located on the northern side . A so-called wooden battlement (a wooden battlement) is built into the city wall, which spans the northern arm of the Pegnitz; on the other side of the Pegnitz is the Hübnerstor . On the southern side of the Tratzenzwingers there is an arched stone river bridge.

History and current use

The Zwinger was rebuilt on older foundations until 1547; the two towers were converted to accommodate cannons. The name Tratzenzwinger comes from Johann Mathias Dratz's kennel, which existed there until 1824. A pedestrian tunnel, the Kassemattentor , was broken through the northern semicircular weir in 1848 . Both towers were badly damaged during World War II.

Krakow House ( Black Z Tower ), view from the west, 2010

In 1977 the renovation of the stump of the Blaues A tower began ( sponsored by the Diehl Foundation , among others ) , which has been used as an office and event location since 1980 with parts of the bastion by the Nürnberg-Stadt district youth association and is now called the Tratzenzwinger city tower . In 2009 a red annex was built between the tower and the city wall.

The Black Z tower (also called the Tratzenzwinger defense tower ) is named after the u. a. used as a Krakow house since 1996 , which is also used by parts of the bastion, sponsored by Kurt Klutentreter . In addition to the representation of the city of Krakow , a travel agency and a restaurant are located there. The Zwinger will be used as a beer garden again in summer.