Schwabentor, Medieval fortified tower in Schaffhausen, Switzerland.
The Schwabentor is a medieval stone gate tower in Schaffhausen marked by a mansard roof, clock niches with frescoes, and connecting sections of the old city wall. The structure stands where several streets meet and serves as a landmark in the northern section of the city's medieval fortifications.
The tower was first recorded as Neuturm in 1361 and marked the northern defensive point against Swabia. It suffered severe damage from a major fire in 1932 but was later rebuilt and restored to its current form.
The two clock-niche frescoes by Carl Roesch date from the 1933–1935 rebuilding after the 1932 fire. The south side, "Kosmos", shows a man and woman in a cosmic cycle between death and a demon, with a flaming angel guarding them; the north side, "Kreislauf", shows the four ages of life following the clock hand. Neither has historical ties to the gate itself.
The tower sits at a central intersection and is easy to reach on foot while exploring the northern old town. The best views come from the surrounding streets, especially when approaching from different angles to see all of its details.
The phrase 'Lappi tue d'Augen uf' ('Fool, open your eyes!') has hung on the northern archway's keystone since 1935, not the southern one. Painter Arnold Oechslin placed it beneath a farmer clutching a piglet and jostled by cars; the city chose his design from four entries, and it has no historical link to the gate.
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