Town Fortification Stralsund

The origins of the Stralsund city fortifications date back to the mid-13th century. Following an attack by Lübeck on the city, founded in 1234, the initial earthworks and palisades were expanded into a stone wall. This 3100-meter-long wall, which encircled the entire city, was completed by 1320 and supplemented with towers and battlements during the 13th century. When Stralsund became Swedish in 1648, the installations were further strengthened, as the city was considered an important bridgehead in Swedish Pomerania. Until the occupation by Napoleonic troops in 1808, the fortifications were maintained and expanded. The French had the city walls razed, but Major Ferdinand von Schill briefly restored them during his raid.