cnmark
Munich - Löwenturm
The Löwenturm (Lion's Tower): Wishful thinking instead of research?
According to the information plate on that tower it was part of the 12th century city fortification built by Heinrich dem Löwen (Henry the Lion), who is neither the founder of Munich, despite such wrong statements in the English Wikipedia (and elsewhere); nor was Munich founded on June 14th, 1158. And this tower was neither built in the 12th century, nor was it part of any city wall.
Actual purpose and usage remains some sort of mystery, though:
Modern research showed that this 25 metres tall brick tower was located south (outside!) of the 12th century city walls and built in the 14th century, not the 12th century.
The tower features some oddities: It lacks a staircase and ground level access, access to each floor was only possible from the neighbouring buildings (destroyed in WWII). The merlons on top, giving the impression of a defensive battlement, are a late 19th century addition (in 1895, wishful thinking again...).
The tower was built directly above a now abandoned dewatering stream, the undecorated lower floors may therefore have been used pretty mundanely - as toilets. In contrast, the upper floors feature quite representative decorations from the 15th century.
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
Munich - Löwenturm
The Löwenturm (Lion's Tower): Wishful thinking instead of research?
According to the information plate on that tower it was part of the 12th century city fortification built by Heinrich dem Löwen (Henry the Lion), who is neither the founder of Munich, despite such wrong statements in the English Wikipedia (and elsewhere); nor was Munich founded on June 14th, 1158. And this tower was neither built in the 12th century, nor was it part of any city wall.
Actual purpose and usage remains some sort of mystery, though:
Modern research showed that this 25 metres tall brick tower was located south (outside!) of the 12th century city walls and built in the 14th century, not the 12th century.
The tower features some oddities: It lacks a staircase and ground level access, access to each floor was only possible from the neighbouring buildings (destroyed in WWII). The merlons on top, giving the impression of a defensive battlement, are a late 19th century addition (in 1895, wishful thinking again...).
The tower was built directly above a now abandoned dewatering stream, the undecorated lower floors may therefore have been used pretty mundanely - as toilets. In contrast, the upper floors feature quite representative decorations from the 15th century.
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.