You only see what you know (Goethe)
There are many cities with preserved town walls. Modern cities surrounded by an equally well-preserved moat are rarer. A fine example of such a combination forms the city wall and moat of Friesach, a place in the Austrian state of Carinthia. [German]
I started my walk through the Croatian Zadar at the Porta Terraferma. The gate was created in 1543 based on a design by Michele Sanmicheli. At that time, it served to defend the Venetian port city. [German]
The Römerturm in Cologne is a watchtower dating back to the era of the Roman Empire. At this time, the town’s name was Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium. A total of 19 towers protected the settlement. [German]
The old town wall of Třeboň offers this romantic view. The walls saw their construction in the years 1525 – 1527. Another attraction of the city is its marketplace. The buildings lining the square date back to the 16th century as well. [German]
River cruisers may know the mighty Veste Oberhaus high over the Danube River. But there is also a town wall in Passau. You’ll find the depicted towers in the Innstadt area. This city district lies between the Inn River and the Austrian border. [German]
The ancient Roman name of Ljubljana was Emona. Today one can still see some Roman elements in the city. E.g. this redesign of a part of the Roman town walls created by architect Jože Plečnik. The reconstruction of the walls is not really authentic but works as remarkable monument to the former presence of the Romans.
Near the historic Zeughaus in Cologne, I discovered this map on the pavement. It helped me to understand the course of the former Roman town wall.
Of five town gates, only one is left. The Marientor is a gate dating back to 1445. It consists of a tower with the region’s typical conical roof and a barbican covered by a late Gothic wall walk.
This pic show the remains of the oldest city wall (11th century) of Erfurt. The depicted wall, generally known as Innere Johannesmauer, had been demolished in 1875. Red and blue street name signs still give a hint which streets were inside or outside the city walls in earlier times.
The Aquileia Gate (Porta Aquileia) was errected in 1436 as part of the fifth ring of city walls surrounding the city of Udine. Entering the city through this gate lead to Via Aquileia where you can walk along six old palaces dating back to the 17th-19th centuries.
Lately, I found a clever way to learn about the former town wall of Wiener Neustadt. At Reyergasse 10, I saw this mural depicting the walls around the city. Some parts of the walls are still visible.
The Reckturm is a tower dating back to 13th century. After its demolition it was reconstructed in the style of 15th century. The name Reckturm (reck = rack) refers to its use as prison and place for torture. Today it houses a small museum for weapons and about torment.