The Old Gate

The Old Gate (Altpoertel) is the medieval west city gate of Speyer. One of an original total of 68 towers in the old walls and gates. Today it is one of the largest (55 meters high) and most architecturally significant of the remaining city gates in Germany.

History

The Old Gate was built between 1230 and 1250 on the ruins of a previous tower. The bottom of the 13th century tower remains as the foundation but, in 1511, Speyer's mayor ordered that the tower be rebuilt, so the top portion is newer. It was completed in 1514. It was originally built as an exterior gate, connecting the old town with the suburb of St.Gilgenvorstadt. A 20-meter high roof was added in 1708.

The tower narrowly survived the destruction of Speyer in 1689, during the War of the Grand Alliance. French troops had placed explosives in the tower and were preparing to demolish it when the Prior of the nearby Carmelite monastery warned Marshal Duras that the tower's collapse might endanger the monastery and Duras' headquarters, which had been established nearby. When Duras responded that his soldiers knew how to demolish the building without danger, the entire Carmelite community knelt in front of the French troops with their burning firebrands, to plead for the tower to be spared. "Our monastery is old and weak," the Prior pled with Duras. "If the towers fall, ... the rotten walls ... would be rocked from the enormous mass of falling stones, and therefore collapse. So please have compassion and spare the tower." After pondering for a few minutes, the Marshal commanded the Carmelites to rise. "Stand up children, the tower shall stand." [] While the Old Gate was spared, the city of Speyer and the cathedral were left in a heap of rubble.

Significance

The old gate was constructed to mark the end of a "Via Triumphalis" that led from the cathedral to the city walls. On major religious occasions, the Emperor and his court would enter the city through the gate and proceed along this roadway (25 to 30 meters wide, and 700 meters long) to the cathedral.

For security reasons, the only openings on the gate's west side are two rows of embrasures. The eastern side is more finely crafted. Above the gate's archway, there is a walkway around the tower. From that walkway, it's possible to see ten stone brackets that project from the wall itself; these once connected the gate to the walls on the north and south sides of the Old Gate.

Calibration Shoe of Speyer

Until the beginning of the 19th century, Speyer had its own method of measuring length and size (mass). On the northern side of the passage through the Old Gate hangs an iron bar, known as the "Calibration Shoe of Speyer" (Speyerer Werkschuh). This 28.899 centimeter-long bar, subdivided into 12 inches, was available for any merchant in Speyer to use. Between 1772 and 1773, Senator Johannes Becker [] used it to measure the size of the city, including the four communities outside the walls.

External links

Listed in the following categories:
Post a comment
Tips & Hints
Arrange By:
Tania M Pollok
11 September 2014
Great view over the city center of Speyer, you look down upon Maximilianstraße and directly onto the cathedral.
Moritz R.
15 May 2018
Wunderschönes Überbleibsel aus dem Mittelalter. Muss man unbedingt gesehen haben!!!
Joachim Kemper
4 June 2014
Ausstellung zum Höchsten Gericht des "Alten Reiches", dem Reichskammergericht, Eröffnung im Sommer 2014!
Load more comments
foursquare.com
6.7/10
1,712 people have been here
Map
Maximilianstraße 55, 67346 Speyer, Germany Get directions
Sun 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
Mon Noon–8:00 PM
Tue 2:00 PM–5:00 PM
Wed 9:00 AM–10:00 AM
Thu Noon–6:00 PM
Fri 10:00 AM–11:00 AM

Altpörtel Speyer on Foursquare

The Old Gate on Facebook

Hotels nearby

See all hotels See all
Hotel Löwengarten

starting $144

Hotel Alt Speyer

starting $115

Hotel-Restaurant 1735

starting $92

Ibis Styles Speyer Hotel

starting $103

Hotel Speyer am Technik Museum

starting $104

Backmulde

starting $71

Recommended sights nearby

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Speyer Cathedral

The Speyer Cathedral, officially the Imperial Cathedral Basilica of

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Technikmuseum Speyer

The Technik Museum Speyer is a museum in Speyer

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Hockenheimring

The Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg is an automobile racing track

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Holiday Park, Germany

Holiday Park is an amusement park in Haßloch, Germany. It is one of

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Mannheim Palace

Mannheim Palace (German: Mannheimer Schloss) in Baden-Württemberg,

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Yavuz Sultan Selim Mosque

The Yavuz-Sultan-Selim mosque in Mannheim, Germany, named for Selim I,

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Heidelberg Zoo

Heidelberg Zoo is a zoo in Germany which was founded in 1933 and

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Heidelberg University

Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of

Similar tourist attractions

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Mecca Gate

The Gate of Mecca, Mecca Gate or Makkah Gate (Arabic: ‎

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Jaffa Gate

Jaffa Gate (Hebrew: שער יפו Sha'ar Yafo, Arabic: باب الخليل B

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Kaminarimon

The Шаблон:Nihongo is the outer of two large entrance gates that ultim

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Torres de Serranos

The Torres de Serrans (Шаблон:IPA-ca; español. Torres de Serran

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Puerta de Alcalá

The Puerta de Alcalá ('Alcalá Gate', from the Arabic word ا

See all similar places