Gate of Spalen

The Spalentor 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. It is considered one of the most beautiful gates in Switzerland.

History

In October 1356 a great earthquake transformed the old Basel into a pile of rubble. The former Basel proceeded to rebuild their homes. They surrounded their new standene Rhine same city with a high boundary wall and a moat in front of it, being involved in the suburbs of the city wall. The main wall they reinforced with more than 40 towers, seven of which were the gate towers and Spalen is one of them. The Spalen looks out on the big approach route that led from France to the Rhine city and protected the Spalenvorstadt behind the goal.

Towards the end of the 19th century city wall inhibited the growth of Basel and was regarded as restrictive and outdated. So we proceeded to lay down the curtain wall and most towers, gates and walls were broken off and disappeared from the modern cityscape. In addition to the St. Johanns-Tor and the St. Alban-Tor and the Spalen was spared. Since the demolition of the city walls, the gate is free.

Gate and equipment

The walls of the Spalentors have out of town a thickness of two meters and into town still such a of 1.60 meters. The gate has two portcullis in the passage, which is accessible only for pedestrians today. Two round 28.15 m high towers flanking the total of 40.3 meter high Spalen and the two round towers owned up to a storm in 1842, each pyramidal tent roofs. The pointed roof of the gate itself is covered with multi-colored brick and the interaction of the square gate tower with attached round towers, which stand as two guards next to the passage, make the special from this gate. The gate was complemented by a lower outer gate and possessed originally a drawbridge over the moat.

The Spalentor is decorated with a lot of sculptures on the facade. Directly above the archway recognize a graven on red sandstone and two lions framed Basel coat of arms.

The Spalen was restored in 1933 by the Canton of Basel- City with federal aid and declared a National Monument.