The Sackheim Gate (russian: Закхаймские ворота, tr.: ''Zakkhaymskie vorota''; german: Sackheimer Tor) is one of seven surviving city gates in

Kaliningrad Kaliningrad ( ; rus, Калининград, p=kəlʲɪnʲɪnˈɡrat, links=y), until 1946 known as Königsberg (; rus, Кёнигсберг, Kyonigsberg, ˈkʲɵnʲɪɡzbɛrk; rus, Короле́вец, Korolevets), is the largest city and ...

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

, formerly the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

city of

Königsberg Königsberg (, ) was the historic Prussian city that is now Kaliningrad, Russia. Königsberg was founded in 1255 on the site of the ancient Old Prussian settlement ''Twangste'' by the Teutonic Knights during the Northern Crusades, and was name ...

. It is located at the intersection of Moscow avenue and Lithuanian wall street.

History

Named after the

Sackheim Sackheim was a quarter of eastern Königsberg, Germany. Its territory is now part of the Leningradsky District of Kaliningrad, Russia. History Although it was documented in 1326,Albinus, p. 267 Sackheim already existed as an Old Prussian farming ...

district, the current gate was built in the middle of the 19th century. It replaced an earlier version which was erected during the construction of the first city walls of Königsberg at the beginning of 17th century. After World War II, the gate was used as a warehouse, which it remained until 2006. The gate is protected as a monument by the Russian federal government. In 2006, restoration of the gate began. After restoration will be completed, the gate will be used by the Centre of Standardisation and Metrology, a Russian federal government agency. It will accommodate laboratories and a small museum, where weights and other antique measuring instruments will be on display.

Architecture

The Sackheim Gate has one passageway with arches at both ends of the gate. In the past each side also had smaller arches, which may have been pedestrian passageways, but these have since been torn down. At the corners there are four towers: two round ones on the city side and two octagonal ones on the outer side. The city side of the gate is decorated with reliefs of

Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg Johann David Ludwig Graf Yorck von Wartenburg (born von Yorck; 26 September 1759 – 4 October 1830) was a Prussian ''Generalfeldmarschall'' instrumental in the switching of the Kingdom of Prussia from a French alliance to a Russian allianc ...

and Friedrich Wilhelm von Bülow. The other side of the gate has the image of a black eagle, reminiscing the

Order of the Black Eagle The Order of the Black Eagle (german: Hoher Orden vom Schwarzen Adler) was the highest order of chivalry in the Kingdom of Prussia. The order was founded on 17 January 1701 by Elector Friedrich III of Brandenburg (who became Friedrich I, King ...

, which was the highest award of

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 ...

References

* Avenir Ovsyanov, In the casemates of the royal fort. Kaliningrad, «Amber tale», 1999.

External links

The Sackheim Gate at the official site of Kaliningrad City Hall
* Kaliningrad-Info
A museum on weights and measures opens in the Sackheim Gate
{{coord, display=title, 54, 42, 34.30, N, 20, 32, 16.30, E, type:landmark Buildings and structures in Kaliningrad Former buildings and structures in Königsberg Gates in Russia Cultural heritage monuments of federal significance in Kaliningrad Oblast it:Porte di Kaliningrad