Pulverturm, Fortification powder tower in Oldenburg, Germany.
The Pulverturm is a circular brick tower with a domed roof standing at the northern edge of Schlossgarten and represents the last surviving defensive structure of the city. A small section of the original wall still connects to it, showing what the fortification system looked like.
The powder tower was built between 1730 and 1765 during Danish rule as a secure vault for military gunpowder supplies. It formed part of a larger fortification system that protected the city's northern boundaries at that time.
The tower sits between military and civic architecture, showing how defense structures were woven into the city's everyday landscape. Today it stands as a reminder of how practical security needs shaped where people built their important public buildings.
The tower sits within the Schlossgarten and can be reached on foot as part of a walk through the grounds, especially when visiting the palace or nearby parks. A simple stroll through the gardens naturally brings you past the structure alongside other historic buildings.
The tower still shows its original brick shell with walls thick enough to withstand explosions, a practical engineering solution designed specifically to keep dangerous contents safe in emergencies. This direct approach to solving a real problem makes the structure itself a lesson in problem-solving from that era.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.