Ostentor in Regensburg

The Ostentor is a Gothic city gate in Regensburg with a five-story central tower flanked by two octagonal towers on either side. The passage runs through a ribbed hall with pointed arches and features slots in the sidewalls for chain mechanisms of defensive gates.

Built between 1284 and 1300, this structure was constructed as the eastern entrance to Regensburg's medieval city fortifications. Its design incorporated contemporary military innovations aimed at defending the eastern district from potential attacks.

The gate takes its name from the eastern edge of the city, which it has marked and connected for centuries. Visitors can see how pedestrians and vehicles still pass through its arches daily, keeping the structure alive as part of modern city movement.

The gate sits at the edge of Regensburg's Old Town and is easily reached on foot, being located directly along the main traffic route. Visitors can explore both the exterior and interior of the structure by walking through the historic passage.

Of Regensburg's original six city gates, the Ostentor is the only one that survived completely intact in its original form. This preservation makes it a rare example of the city's original defensive architecture, as the others were largely destroyed or altered.