Town Fortification Prenzlau - Schwedter Torturm

The Schwedter Torturm, also called Steintorturm, is one of the oldest surviving gate towers of Prenzlau’s town fortifications. The lower part was built before 1306 (first mention) as a square brick tower; at that time Steinstraße still ran through the tower, and the street level lay about 1.7 m lower. In the masonry the old battlements of the original crown are visible at about 9 m height. Still in the fourteenth century the tower was raised in Gothic form; the upper part is decorated on all four sides with an ornamental frieze, tall tracery panels and a heraldic frieze. The gateway was moved beside the tower and secured by a smaller flanking tower and a barbican with outer gate. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries the gate decayed; in 1835 it was demolished because of dilapidation. In 1837 a simple lattice gate with pillars was built, which was also removed after 1875. The height is about 22 m.

Today the Uckermärkischer Geschichtsverein zu Prenzlau has used the tower since 1993 as archive and headquarters. In the summer months it is open for visits on Saturdays and Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m.; about 100 steps lead to a viewing platform with a view over the town. A public observatory established in 1962 was used for a time.