Dicker Turm, Medieval fortified tower in Görlitz, Germany
The Dicker Turm is a medieval fortified tower in Görlitz rising 46 meters high with walls measuring approximately 5 meters thick at its base. This structure served as the city's primary defensive building and continues to define the urban landscape today.
The tower was built in 1250 during the city's expansion and served as a watchtower and defensive structure for centuries. Guard duties ended in 1904, transforming it into a historical monument without military function.
The tower displays a sandstone relief showing the town coat of arms with figures of Mary and Saint Barbara, symbols that connect the city to its religious traditions. This relief, relocated here in 1856, remains visible to anyone passing by or climbing the structure.
Visitors can explore the tower's interior through guided tours organized by the Förderverein Kulturstadt Görlitz-Zgorzelec. Climbing the internal stairs provides increasingly expansive views of the city at different levels.
From 1974 to 1999, engineering students from Görlitz-Zittau University held regular gatherings in the upper sections of the tower. This unexpected use by young people gave the monument a lively dimension over several decades.
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