Discover history: The former city wall
The town was already fortified in the middle of the 13th century. In 1264, the old St John's Church on today's Zschopauer Straße is described as being "extra muros", i.e. outside the walls. The stone fortifications were probably erected as part of a decree by Emperor Conrad IV in 1238.
The main wall of the town fortifications was 5.70 metres high and 1.40 to 1.70 metres thick. The younger kennel wall in front of it, dating from the 14th century, was 3.50 metres high and 0.85 metres thick, made of quarry stone and built with bricks. The wooden battlements and the kennel wall were covered by a shingle roof. There is talk of 25 towers that are said to have defended the town.
The town wall was rebuilt at the end of the 14th century. The representative city gates were built: Johannistor, Chemnitzer Tor, Nikolaitor, Klostertor. Over the years, the town fortifications and town gates lost their function and significance.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the main wall became increasingly dilapidated. The city gates were used solely for customs revenue and were mainly an obstacle to traffic, as the city had already opened up on all sides. In 1827, customs offices were finally set up outside the suburbs and the city gates were demolished.
The last requests from property owners to the city to demolish the remains of the fortifications in order to build residential buildings date back to 1899.