Tower fortification Linz
The Linz Tower Fortification or Maximilian Tower Line was a fortification built in the early 19th century. It consisted of a belt of fortification towers around the city of Linz and is also known under the names Donaufestung Linz , Entrenched Camp of Linz or Maximilian Fortress .
history
The construction of the Linz tower line goes back to an initiative of Archduke Maximilian Joseph of Austria-Este . His experiences from 1809, when it was not possible to stop Napoleon on his advance to Vienna ( Battle of Ebelsberg ) , may have played a role . Maximilian therefore proposed a system of imperial fortifications in which strategically important places were to be defended by a line of individual towers. However, only the fortification of Linz was realized.
Basic idea
Around the city to be defended, a ring of individually standing fortification towers (so-called detached works ) is laid out, which form a defensive line that extends far forward so that the enemy's guns cannot reach the city. The towers themselves are strongly fortified and armed with cannons. The distance between the towers is such that they can cover each other. If the attacker succeeds in conquering a tower, this could be shot at from the neighboring towers. Several thousand soldiers were able to march within the tower line.
This system was proposed by Marc-René Marquis de Montalembert in the second half of the 18th century. However, the Montalembert Towers were too complex and expensive to be built in large numbers. Maximilian preferred to build simpler, but more densely arranged towers. He also protected his towers with a glacis from which only the upper part of the tower protruded. In addition, Maximilian decided not to fortify the core structure.
The trial tower on the Freinberg
In 1828 Maximilian had a test tower built on the Freinberg near Linz at his own expense. Explosive tests and test shootings were carried out with this tower in the presence of Emperor Franz I. Maximilian's opponents wanted this test to fail due to unfair test conditions. Nevertheless, the test tower essentially passed its baptism of fire.
Since the final tower line was built at a greater distance around the city, the test tower could no longer be used. Maximilian had the tower increased and a chapel (Maximilianskapelle) built next to it. He gave the tower and chapel to the Jesuits . Today the tower is part of the Kollegium Aloisianum , a Catholic private school.
The construction of the tower line
The construction of the tower fortification began in 1831. In order to accelerate the construction, Maximilian had pre-financed it with his own capital. Most of the structures were completed in 1833. Due to the repair of construction defects and the sometimes dragging military equipment, the tower line could not be handed over to the military until 1838. Trial shootings took place before the handover.
From the start of construction, the tower line was visited by numerous domestic and foreign guests, by officers, diplomats, princes and also by the emperors Franz I and Ferdinand I. Most of the visitors expressed themselves positively, which was a satisfaction for Maximilian-Joseph.
Abandonment of the fortification
As early as 1858, just 20 years later, the fortifications were abandoned. The advances in weapons technology - guns with rifled barrels had a greater range and ammunition effect - severely limited their strategic value. In addition, many towers were already in disrepair.
During the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, the towers north of the Danube were reactivated for a short time, which caused concern in the city. During the Bosnian campaign in 1878, towers 9 and 10 were used as a prisoner of war camp. During the First World War, Tower 9 was used as an ammunition and storage depot and is still known today as the “Powder Tower”. Individual towers were already sold in the 1860s. The remaining towers were given to the Treasury Department for sale in 1871.
In 1883, the building ban on the one kilometer wide, sight and shot-free ring around Linz was lifted, which was the prerequisite for further, unhindered urban development.
Construction of the tower fortification
All the objects in the fortifications were named after female saints. The 32 towers are generally designated with Arabic numerals, the towers of the fort with Roman numerals. There is no tower 17 (instead the battery "Klara" and Thekla were built), instead there is a tower 30 ½ next to tower 30.
The tower attachment consisted of:
- 27 normal towers (No. 1 to 16, 18 to 25, 30½, 31 and 32)
- 5 segment towers (No. 26 to 30)
- 2 outbuildings (Viktoria and Constantia),
- the two connections on the Danube,
- 2 casemated batteries (Thekla and Klara) and
- the fort on the Pöstlingberg
In an emergency, the towers should be connected with a palisade line. The construction of intermediate batteries was planned at 20 prepared locations. The Danube would have been blocked with a chain between the Adelgunde and Kunigunde Klausen.
The normal towers
The normal towers consisted of three concentric wall rings made of rubble stones, as well as vaults made of bricks. They had the following floors (from top to bottom):
| Hood | The attacker was to be fought with 18-pound defense cannons from the open top. In peace it was covered with a removable wooden roof. |
| Schartenstock | There were 7 pound howitzers here. These should be used when the top has been hit by the enemy. |
| Residential floor | Accommodation for 60 soldiers |
| Magazine stick | Ammunition and food supplies for four months. A well was built in the innermost ring of the wall. |
The towers were surrounded by a moat, in front of which was the glacis (earth wall, partially reinforced with stone walls). Only the uppermost part of the tower with the roof protruded from the glacis. The storage and living areas were below the ground level. The entrance in the Schartenstock was accessible via a drawbridge on the throat (back).
The segment towers
Towers 26 to 30 on the Danube in what is now the port area were smaller and had a segment-shaped floor plan. They only had two floors, the magazine stock and a combined living and loop stock. None of the towers have survived.
The Danube connections
The so-called connections were located to the left and right of the Danube. There was a hermitage directly on the bank, connected to a wall that led up the slope and ended at a waiting room. Iron rings were walled into the Klausen, in which a chain could be hung to shut off the Danube.
- Right connection
- Klause Adelgunde ( fraternity tower )
- Wait Walpurga
- Left connector
- Klause Kunigunde
- Wait Edelburga
The fort on the Pöstlingberg
The fort on the Pöstlingberg, the main base of the camp, was at the highest point of the fortification line. The entire Linz area could be viewed from there.
The fort comprised two large towers (II and IV, they corresponded to the normal towers), three small towers (I, III and V) and a control room as an entrance gate (VI). The towers were connected by curtains and walls. A semicircular place for a battery was prepared above the curtain wall between tower II and III.
The preserved parts of the complex are now used for tourism. In tower II (Beatrix) is the Grottenbahn , a tourist attraction especially popular with children. Tower IV (Maria) became the terminus of the Pöstlingbergbahn . The other towers became a music home (tower I, Othilie) and a viewing terrace (tower V, Euphemia).
Tower I of the fort with the curtain wall adjoining to the right in the direction of tower VI
Tower VI, the entrance gate to the fort (view from the inside). Right the curtain coming from tower I.
Tower IV, today the mountain station of the Pöstlingbergbahn .
List of objects
Of the tower line, mainly objects in the west ( Leonding ) and north ( Puchenau , Pöstlingberg , Urfahr ) have been preserved. In the south the towers had to give way to the growing urban development, in the east to the (heavy) industry (including the Hermann-Göring-Werke ), which was established in 1938 .
The list contains all objects in the tower line, as well as - if known - their state of preservation and current use. The designation of non-preserved works is in italics .
| object | Use (2005) | location |
|---|---|---|
| Trial tower | Part of the Kollegium Aloisianum . | 48 ° 17 ′ 47 " N , 14 ° 16 ′ 6" E |
| Western tower line | ||
| Tower 1 (Rosalia) | Not received. The street layout of Wiener Strasse in the New World area is reminiscent of the tower. The earth wall and depression (now a children's playground) behind the Zgonc company are still clearly visible. | 48 ° 16 ′ 29 " N , 14 ° 18 ′ 49" E |
| Tower 2 (Sophia) | Not received. | |
| Tower 3 (Barbara) | Not received. | |
| Tower 4 (Lucia) | Not received. | |
| Tower 5 (Elisabeth) | Not received. In 1959, remains of the foundations were found during the construction of the Theresienkirche on the Keferfeld. | |
| Tower 6 (Petronilla) | Not received. | |
| Tower 7 (Eulalia) | Not received. | |
| Tower 8 (Margaretha) | Not received. | |
| Tower 9 (Apollonia) | Private apartments and Leonding City Museum . | 48 ° 17 ′ 10.5 " N , 14 ° 15 ′ 42.3" E |
| Tower 10 (Gertrude) | Private apartments and fashion agency. | |
| Vorwerk Viktoria | Not received. | |
| Tower 11 (Ludwine) | Not received. Dismantled before 1880. | |
| Tower 12 (Agnes) | From 1957 apartment, artist studio of Hans Schmidinger and restaurant (“ Künstlerklause ”). After the death of the owner (1994) in the possession of the construction company Haller (status 2005). | 48 ° 17 ′ 37 " N , 14 ° 14 ′ 47" E |
| Tower 13 (Genoveva) |
1933 to 1955 explosives storage facility (“Powder Tower”). From 1973 disaster storage facility of the Austrian Red Cross. Purchased by the municipality of Leonding in 2000 and partially renovated in order to preserve the tower as a cultural monument. |
48 ° 17 ′ 56 " N , 14 ° 14 ′ 37" E |
| Tower 14 (Hildegard) | Not received. Location recognizable. | |
| Wait Walpurga | Not received. | |
| Klause Adelgunde | " Fraternity Tower " | 48 ° 18 ′ 29 " N , 14 ° 14 ′ 44" E |
| Klause Kunigunde | Not received. | |
| Wait Edelburga | Ruin. Remains of the connecting wall towards Klause Kunigunde exist. | |
| Tower 15 (Luitgarde) | Ruin. | |
| Tower 16 (Seraphina) | Remains present. | |
| Battery Thekla | Ruin. | |
| Battery Klara | Remains present. | |
| Tower 18 (Katharina) | Badly damaged by bombs in 1945. Remnants of Hubert Taferner converted into a private house in 1962 ( Leitl Tower). | |
| Fort Pöstlingberg | ||
| Tower I (Othilie) | Musikheim. | 48 ° 19 '24 " N , 14 ° 15' 26" E |
| Tower II (Beatrix) | Grotto train and fairytale grotto | 48 ° 19 ′ 27 " N , 14 ° 15 ′ 23" E |
| Tower III (Julia) | Not received. | |
| Tower IV (Maria) | Terminus of the Pöstlingbergbahn . | 48 ° 19 ′ 28 " N , 14 ° 15 ′ 34" E |
| Tower V (Euphemia) | Viewing terrace. | 48 ° 19 ′ 25 " N , 14 ° 15 ′ 33" E |
| Tower VI (Nothburga) | Wait. Entrance gate. | 48 ° 19 '24 " N , 14 ° 15' 31" E |
| Eastern tower line | ||
| Vorwerk Konstantia | Remains present. | |
| Tower 19 (Dorothea) | Private residential building ( Nobl Tower). | |
| Tower 20 (Cäcilia) | Ruin, property of the Diocese of Linz. In autumn 2005 the owner planned the installation of twelve apartments and two studios. That would have required the construction of an access road and parking spaces in the Urfahraner green belt, which is why the plan was controversial from the start. The city of Linz rejected the necessary changes to the zoning plan . | |
| Tower 21 (Theresia) | Not received. In 1937, remains of the foundation were found during construction work in front of the Petrinum . | |
| Tower 22 (Regina) | Not received. | |
| Tower 23 (Theodora) | Not received. | |
| Tower 24 (Ehrentrude) | 1960 to 1973 seat of a wine trading agency ("Weinturm"). Surrounded by the A7 motorway since 1973 . | 48 ° 19 ′ 21 ″ N , 14 ° 17 ′ 50 ″ E |
| Tower 25 (Winfriede) | Receive. | 48 ° 18 ′ 57 " N , 14 ° 18 ′ 24" E |
| Tower 26 (Justine) | Segment tower. Not received. | |
| Tower 27 (Agathe) | Segment tower. Not received. | |
| Tower 28 (Sabine) | Segment tower. Not received. | |
| Tower 29 (Irene) | Segment tower. Not received. | |
| Tower 30 (Susanne) | Segment tower. Not received. | |
| Tower 30 ½ (Brigitte) | Not received. | |
| Tower 31 (Isabella) | Not received. | |
| Tower 32 (Christine) | Not received. | |
See also
literature
- Erich Hillbrand : The Towers of Linz. Archduke Maximilian's fortress system for the monarchy. In: Historical yearbook of the city of Linz. 1984, ISSN 0440-9736 , p. 11–213 (As a special print: Erich Hillbrand: Die Türme von Linz. Archduke Maximilian's fortress system for the monarchy. Archives of the City of Linz, Linz 1985, OBV ), p. 11–30 (PDF; 3.4 MB) in the forum OoeGeschichte.at, pp. 31–59 (PDF; 5.2 MB) in the forum OoeGeschichte.at, pp. 60–88 (PDF; 5.1 MB) in the forum OoeGeschichte.at, pp. 89–121 (PDF ; 5.8 MB) in the forum OoeGeschichte.at, pp. 122–158 (PDF; 5.6 MB) in the forum OoeGeschichte.at, pp. 159–213 (PDF; 8.1 MB) in the forum OoeGeschichte.at.
- Hans Commenda: Emperor Franz I visits the Maximilians Towers in Linz. (July 19-23, 1832.). In: Yearbook of the Upper Austrian Museum Association - Society for Regional Studies. Volume 104, Linz 1959, pp. 125-134, PDF on ZOBODAT
- Christine Schwanzar: The "entrenched camp Linz" from the time of Archduke Maximilian of Austria-Este. In: Yearbook of the Upper Austrian Museum Association - Society for Regional Studies. Volume 157, Linz 2012, pp. 513-521, PDF on ZOBODAT
- Georg Wacha: The Maximilian Towers of Linz and the interest of Prussia, France and England in the new fortification system (with a biography of the chamber painter Johann Maria Monsorno). In: Art Yearbook of the City of Linz. 1986, ISSN 0454-6601 , pp. 83-95.
- Josef Simbrunner: From the fortifications to the grotto railway. Maximilian and the Linz Towers. In: Upper Austrian homeland sheets . Linz 2007, pp. 202–213, PDF on land-oberoesterreich.gv.at
Web links
- Entry via tower fortification Linz on Burgen-Austria
Individual evidence
- ↑ Hillebrand 1984, p. 182.
- ↑ Hubert Taferner. In: stadtgeschichte.linz.at.
- ↑ Nobl Tower. In: stadtgeschichte.linz.at.
- ↑ Linzer Rundschau from November 2 and 11, 2005.
