Hardturm, Medieval fortified tower in Zürich, Switzerland

Hardturm is a medieval fortified tower in Zürich, standing on the bank of the Limmat River in the Kreis 5 neighborhood. Its thick stone walls and compact form make it one of the last surviving remnants of the city's old defensive ring.

Built in the 12th or 13th century as part of Zürich's outer fortifications, the Hardturm was first documented in 1336, destroyed by a flood in 1343 and rebuilt. It guarded a Limmat crossing until the bridge was destroyed in 1352. From 1461 it was held as a fief by the Manesse family; since the 16th century it has been privately owned.

The name Hardturm comes from the Hard, the wooded bank where the tower stands, not from a bend in the river. From 1882 the tower served as living and meeting rooms for workers of the Schoeller worsted-spinning mill, and Jakob Christoph Heer set a poem, "Am Hardturm", at the tower.

The tower is easy to reach by tram or bus and sits in a lively part of the city with plenty of shops and restaurants nearby. The exterior can be seen freely from the street, so no special planning is needed for a visit.

The Hardturm gave its name to a long-debated football stadium planned to be built nearby. The stadium project has been discussed for decades, showing how a single medieval tower can shape conversations about the future of a neighborhood.