The Reichenbach Tower (german: Reichenbacher Turm, ) probably built in the 13th century and first mentioned in 1376 is the western part of the historic fortification of
Görlitz. With a height of 51m it is the tallest of the three fortified towers in
Görlitz.
(the other two being
Thick Tower and
Nikolai Tower).
History
Probably the history of the tower dates back to the 13th century, when the Upper Market (''Obermarkt'') was laid out. The tower was first mentioned in 1376. Above the cubic lower part an octagon with a monopitch roof was put on. It merges into a cylindrical upper tower. The tower is crowned by circular battlements with
Lombard band
A Lombard band is a decorative blind arcade, usually located on the exterior of building. It was frequently used during the Romanesque and Gothic periods of Western architecture. It resembles a frieze of arches.
Lombard bands are believed to h ...
and the hood.
The circular battlements on top of the tower and a wooden hood were added in 1485. The Reichenbach Tower was connected in 1521 with the ''Kaisertrutz'' (another
fortified tower
A fortified tower (also defensive tower or castle tower or, in context, just tower) is one of the defensive structures used in fortifications, such as castles, along with curtain walls. Castle towers can have a variety of different shapes and fu ...
erected in 1490) by two walls. The late wooden
gothic tower hood had been replaced in 1782 by a
baroque copper hood. The gateway and the connecting walls were demolished in 1862 and shortly after a pedestrian passage was built through the tower.
The last tower guard left in 1904 and the bells ring electric since then. Due to severe damage, the tower was extensively restored from 1935. During the restoration work in 1936, eight steel anchors were inserted into the lower part of the tower, which were hidden behind twelve colored coats of arms made by the painter Arno Henschel from
Görlitz. The upper six crests show the states
Görlitz belonged to in the past:
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars.
From the accession of Otto I in 962 ...
,
Bohemia,
Brandenburg
Brandenburg (; nds, Brannenborg; dsb, Bramborska ) is a state in the northeast of Germany bordering the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony, as well as the country of Poland. With an area of 29,480 sq ...
,
Prussia
Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an ...
,
Silesia
Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. Silesia is split ...
and finally
Saxony
Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...
. The lower six crest show the city emblems of members of
Lusatian League
The Lusatian League (german: Oberlausitzer Sechsstädtebund; cs, Šestiměstí; pl, Związek Sześciu Miast) was a historical alliance of six towns in the Bohemian (1346–1635), later Saxon (1635–1815) region of Upper Lusatia, that existed fr ...
.
[
With no military usages after ]World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
the tower is now used as a viewing tower and is part of a historico-cultural museum (''Görlitzer Sammlungen'')
References
{{Authority control
Buildings and structures in Görlitz
Tourist attractions in Görlitz
Fortified towers in Germany
Buildings and structures completed in the 13th century