Friedrichsburg, Star-shaped fortress in Mannheim, Germany
Friedrichsburg was a fortress in Mannheim with seven pointed bastions arranged in a star pattern, with streets leading from a central square to each defensive position. The structure served military defense purposes and shaped the urban planning of the developing city.
The fortress was founded in 1606 by Prince-Elector Friedrich IV, following a design by Dutch architect Bartel Janson. After its destruction in 1689, Mannheim Palace was built on its site, transforming the city.
The fortress shaped Mannheim's distinctive grid street pattern, which still defines the city layout today. This geometric arrangement emerged from the star-shaped design and continues to influence how people navigate and experience the downtown area.
Today only archaeological traces and historical plans remain of the original fortress, as it was completely built over. Visitors can explore its urban planning impact through the street system that stems from the star-shaped layout.
Mannheim Palace, built on the fortress site after its destruction, has more windows than the Palace of Versailles. This detail reveals how ambitious the city's transformation was after the fortress fell.
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