Munot, Circular fortress in Schaffhausen, Switzerland.
Munot is a circular fortress standing above Schaffhausen with thick ring walls and a bell tower at its center. The walls offer open views across the town and the surrounding countryside below.
The present fortress was built between 1564 and 1589 under city architect Heinrich Schwarz, probably drawing on Albrecht Dürer's rondel designs, partly with compulsory labor. It cost 47,528 guilders, about the price of 800 townhouses. Its only defense came in 1799, when French troops repelled Austrian fire before abandoning the guns in the ditch.
The 9 p.m. bell is rung by hand by the Munot guardian, who lives in the tower and also tends the fallow deer in the moat. The stag is named after the sitting mayor of Schaffhausen. On 14 June 2019, during the women's strike, the bell stayed silent for the first time in centuries.
You can reach the fortress on foot from the town center via marked walking paths, though the climb takes some effort. Wear comfortable shoes and allow time for the walk uphill.
The stag in the moat is named after the sitting mayor of Schaffhausen, and the guardian rings the small Munot bell by hand at 9 p.m. each evening. On 14 June 2019, during the women's strike, the bell stayed silent for the first time in centuries.
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