turystyka

Red Sea Tower

The Stargard defence fortifications are regarded as the best in Poland. It can serve as an example to follow the development of city walls. It is also a tangible reminder of the proud independence of a town famous for its best armed and most fierce burghers in Pomerania.
For centuries Stargard was located almost 30 km from the turbulent frontier with the New March. The mighty defence system successfully protected the town against numerous raids by its neighbours. They also prevented armed raids
by competitive centres (mostly by Szczecin) and marked the territory of the town governed by its own jurisdiction.
A ducal document which dates back to 1295 allowed demolition of the castellan stronghold and encircling the town with a ring of city walls. Since that time, the defence fortifications were under continuous construction until the 17th century. It was at that time when Stargard, located in the hinterland of Prussia, lost its former military importance. It was for that reason that burghers started to landscape parks and gardens thus turning walls and moats into three-kilometre-long gardens.
The system of fortifications consisted of walls the total length of which was 2260 m, nine towers, forty-five lookouts, four gates of which Wall Gate had a barbican, as well as four roundels; there were also four gates in the walls and an armoury, a place where weapons were stored, which has survived to the present day. The structures were encircled by a moat on the outside of which there were earthworks and an outer moat.
DEFENCE WALLS - were constructed in three stages, since the second half of the 13th until the end of the 16th century. The earlier ones were built with erratic boulders and the top was levelled with bricks. Bricks were later used as the basic building material. On the inside there were wooden hoardings and at places bretèches with arrow slits. The structure was up to 8 meters high and 1.5 meters thick. A 1040-metre stretch survived into the present, mostly the western and northern parts.
TOWN GATES - three land gates have survived: Pyritz' Gate, St. John's Gate and Wall Gate which are one of the most beautiful in Pomerania. Mill Gate spanning the river is a structure unique in Europe.
TOWERS - only four survived. Towers: “Red See” Tower, Weavers' Tower and “Whitehead” Tower belong to the most sumptuous in Poland. Late Gothic in their contemporary form are perfect examples of lookout towers and main points of the defence system after the invention of firearms.
EARTHWORK AND ROUNDELS - strengthened the brick defence structures. The oldest earthwork was erected just outside the western wall in the 15th century. In the 16th century the walls were extended considerably, and, upon adding artillery roundels, they were also raised. In times of the Thirty Years' War the defence system was further expanded. Since the mid-17th century until the reign of the King of Prussia, Frederick II there were plans (partly carried out) to turn the town into a stronghold.
BASTIONS - the three remaining ones are unique in Pomerania. They were the latest additions (dating to the 16th century) to the defence system made of brick resulting from the necessity to modify fortifications in the early modern period of gunpowder when the cannon started to dominate the battlefield. Projecting outward from the curtain wall these semi-circular structures with bretèches permitted effective defence against enemies attacking the walls.