Gate of Saint Alban

( Called Basel German Dalbedoor ) The St. Alban Gate is a former city gate of the city of Basel and former part of the Basel city wall. It is one of the three city gates, which still exist today, and is a listed building.

The St. Alban-Tor was first mentioned historically in 1230. When Basel earthquake of 1356, the plant was partially destroyed, but was rebuilt from 1362. 1374, the year of completion, it is explicitly mentioned again in a guard order, but not as a gate, but as a tower, which the residents had to guard. Only in 1387 is mentioned in an inventory of weapons « sant Albansthor ".

Original appearance

Investigations revealed that the first bullet could have arisen over the arch of the gate early as the 1360s. The building was originally a free-standing tower, which was joined later by lateral extensions of the city wall. The fact that the first tower had no gate function is probably due to the fact that it was not inserted into the line of the city wall, but something was behind her back.

It is likely that the tower of St. Alban Gate originally had a wood-paneled and covered weir plate. Later, the tower crown was altered by the replacement of the weir plate with a shed roof on the inside. The tower was given a flat pyramidal roof after 1647; then the gate tower received a attic, which is why you rebuilt the battlements of the crown to narrow gaps. 1473 a Vorwerk was built with a drawbridge on the tower in the city wall digging into it.

Redesign

Although the redesign of the door (1871-1873) thanks to the " Friends of St. Alban Gate " prevented the demolition ( unlike other city gates ), however, brought changes, which affected the construction in his character. The floor level of the area had been reduced, making the door opening and the tower appeared higher. On the tower crown an unsuitable and high roof had been placed with little windows on all four sides. The weir bay window on the tower has been removed, but you knew the second floor to the former field facing side with a small ornamental balcony. On all four sides of the tower large dials were installed, which is why on the city side on the fourth floor, the windows had to be walled up. Wooden gates as piles disappeared. On the north side a police station was built in the Gothic Revival style.

Restoration

With the support of the Christoph Merian Foundation and the federal government in 1975 was the St. Alban-Tor largely authentically restored. It was again a flat pyramidal roof and the little balcony on the side of the field has been removed; two floors higher reconstructed to the once emerged from the pitch nose pocket.

Along with wooden gate and driven piles the train and suspension of Rammpfahlanlage have been reconstructed from the late 16th century again on the second floor. The huge clock faces on the tower were removed and replaced by more subtle point wreaths on three sides; on the field side of the pitch nose bay window was built at the corresponding location. This could be opened and the two walled city side window. The former police station and the stairs were maintained as attractive additions in a style of their time. Owner of the St. Alban Gate is the municipality of Basel-Stadt.