Jakobstor, Medieval gate tower in Regensburg, Germany.

The Jakobstor consists of two surviving semicircular towers that once guarded a drawbridge over the city moat, part of a gate complex about 100 m wide built around 1301. The two storage buildings, two tall defensive towers and the connecting city wall are gone; the towers stand where the Stahlzwingerweg and Wiesmeierweg still mark the line of the former wall.

The gate was built in the Middle Ages as part of Regensburg's city fortification system, serving to control traffic through one of the main entrances. Its construction reflects how medieval cities protected themselves against intruders and demonstrates defensive building practices of the time.

The gate takes its name from the nearby Scottish monastery of St. Jakob, not from the pilgrimage route to Santiago. It led to the trade roads toward Augsburg and Nuremberg. In front of it, after 1511, the city park with shooting ranges arose, followed by a Protestant cemetery after 1527 and Catholic and Jewish cemeteries after 1812 and 1822.

The gate is located at the edge of the old town and is easily reached on foot while exploring Regensburg's medieval streets. The best time to visit is during daylight hours when you can see the architecture and surrounding lanes clearly.

The two surviving semicircular towers once guarded a drawbridge over the city moat, part of a gate complex about 100 m wide that filled the western half of today's Jakobsstraße. The streets Stahlzwingerweg and Wiesmeierweg still follow the line of the former city wall.