Schaafentor, ehemaliges mittelalterliches Stadttor in Köln
The Schaafentor was a medieval city gate made of two large round towers with a central section that extended beyond the walls. The street that shares its name still runs through the same area today, where old and newer buildings line the narrow path.
Built around the 1200s as part of Cologne's western defenses, the gate served for centuries as an entry point for trade and movement. In the late 1800s, the medieval walls were demolished and the gate disappeared, though the street and its history remain.
The street took its name from the sheep trade that once defined the neighborhood and still shapes how people experience it today. Now visitors find bars and gathering places that have transformed the area into a social hub where the community comes together.
The street is easy to reach on foot from the nearby Rudolfplatz and comes alive in the evenings and on weekends. The route is safe and simple to walk, with many small shops and bars to explore along the way.
The gate once served as a prison with three rooms for holding prisoners, a common practice for fortified city gates in medieval times. During the French occupation in the early 1800s, the street was renamed Rue de Moutons, reflecting its enduring connection to the sheep trade.
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