Kunibertsturm, Medieval defense tower in Altstadt-Nord, Germany
The Kunibertsturm is a medieval defense tower in Altstadt-Nord along the Rhine in Cologne, standing about 17 meters tall and constructed from basalt columns and tuff stone. Today it serves as residential space while retaining features of its original architecture.
The tower was built around 1233 as part of a city gate fortress and survived the 1262 civil conflict when other fortifications were destroyed. This makes it one of the few surviving structures from that turbulent period.
The tower is called "Weckschnapp" by locals, a name rooted in a legend about prisoners who tried to catch bread being lowered from above before falling through hidden trapdoors into the river. This tale remains connected to the dark history that shaped the place.
The tower is now privately occupied and can be viewed from the outside, though interior access for visitors is limited. The best vantage points are from the riverbank or nearby streets in Altstadt-Nord.
The interior contained multiple vaulted prison chambers where interrogations took place, documented in a 1592 visitation record. These underground spaces reveal the harsh reality of medieval imprisonment.
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