Rabenštejnská věž, Medieval fortified tower in České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
Rabenštejnská věž is a four-story rectangular structure with a high gable roof interrupted by three projecting bay windows on the northern edge of the old town. The building displays typical medieval features with thick stone walls and narrow window openings.
The structure was built between the 14th and 15th centuries as part of the city walls and later served as a prison until the early 19th century. Its changing functions reveal how the tower's role in the city evolved over several hundred years.
The tower is named after Wolfgang Rabenstein, a Dominican monastery monk, and now houses a cultural center with gallery and design shop run by a local arts organization. Visitors can explore contemporary art exhibitions and local crafts on display here.
The tower is easily reached on foot from the town square and sits at the edge of the old town center. Visitors should check in advance whether the current exhibition matches their interests and plan accordingly.
In the 19th century, municipal physicians used the tower twice weekly for examinations, a surprising and lesser-known function that reveals an unexpected side of local administration at that time. This medical purpose during its prison years shows how the building served multiple practical needs of the city.
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