Spitzer Turm, Turm in Wertheim
The Spitzer Turm is a defensive tower in Wertheim built around 1180 with a round lower section and an octagonal upper section added in 1450. Its thick stone walls, small windows, and simple design reflect medieval military construction intended for surveillance and protection.
The round lower section was built around 1180 as part of Wertheim's city walls for defense. Around 1450, the octagonal upper level was added to strengthen the structure and improve its function as a watchtower.
The tower takes its name from the pointed roof shape that once defined the medieval skyline. Visitors today can sense how people centuries ago used such structures to mark and defend their settlement.
The tower stands in Wertheim's old town where the Tauber and Main rivers meet and is easily reached on foot. It is accessible to climb, with a narrow interior staircase leading up for views of the town and surrounding rivers.
The tower once served as a jail for drunk or disruptive citizens, revealing how it was used in everyday city life. This dual role as watchtower and holding cell was a practical element of medieval town management.
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