City Gates Of Steyr
Steyr, a historic city in Upper Austria, is known for its rich industrial and cultural heritage dating back to the 10th century. The city is renowned for its city gates, which mark the entrances to the old town and the castle. The Lower City Gate, built in the 15th century, leads to Schloss Lamberg, the castle that dominates the skyline.
The Upper City Gate, built in the 13th century, is the oldest surviving gate and marks the entrance to the old town from the north. It features a clock tower and a chapel dedicated to St. George, the patron saint of Steyr. The Red Gate, built in the 16th century, symbolizes the blood of martyrs during the Protestant Reformation and connects the old town to Steyrdorf, the suburb with the oldest hospital.
The Neutor, the newest and largest gate, was built in the 19th century and connects the old town with the modern part of the city. The gate is decorated with statues of the four cardinal virtues: prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. These city gates are not only architectural landmarks but also historical witnesses of Steyr’s development and transformation over the centuries.
Kollertor
The Kollertor is located in the Ennsdorf neighborhood of Steyr, Upper Austria. It serves as a city gate, specifically situated at Kollergasse 16.The location of the building on the Enns River, along with the presence of openings on the upper floor, suggests that it may have served military purposes in the past. The two-story gatehouse, constructed in 1480, stands as one of three remaining city gates, alongside the Neutor on Grünmarkt and the buckle gate on Gleinkergasse.The Schmiedtor in Haratzmüllerstraße was demolished in 1855, followed by the Ennstor in Zwischenbrücken in 1864, the Ortltor in Schlüsselhofgasse in 1891, and finally the Johannestor in 1944.
The embrasures were discovered in 1969, leading to the replacement of the sgraffito corner blocks, cleaning of the stone, and reconstruction of the roof with plain tiles.The repair was completed in 2005, with great care taken to maintain the original appearance. This gate was commonly used by carters to transport the charcoal required by the blacksmiths, a crucial resource produced by the charcoal burners.The term “charcoal burner” originates from the Middle High German word koler or köler, which means “charcoal burner.”
Neutor
The Neutor stands proudly as one of the three remaining Steyr city gates, positioned at the entrance to the Grünmarkt and facing the bustling town square.Jakob Marconi constructed the Renaissance building after 1572.The main objective of the new structure was to provide protection against the devastating floods that occurred in Steyr in 1572. It served as the home of the German school for two centuries and later became the gendarmerie barracks in the nineteenth century.The section of the Steyr City Museum’s collection has been housed here since 1969, while the rest is kept at the nearby Innerberger Stadel.
In 1973, an additional arch was constructed on the south side to accommodate the increasing traffic demands.The Hundsgraben bypass was constructed in the same year as the Schönauer Bridge to replace the historic iron Neutor Bridge over the Enns.The Neutorbrücke was once a pedestrian crossing, but it was removed in June 1974. The project was finished in October of the same year.The riverside frescoes on the gate were beautifully restored, and a new viewing balcony was constructed in place of the bridge. In this section, the city wall, which was demolished in 1829, is mostly preserved. A segment links the gate’s western side to a fortified tower beneath the parish church.
Schnallentor
The buckle gate was constructed during the early 16th century as a component of Steyr’s city walls, situated between Steyrdorf and Tabor (now known as Gleinkergasse and Franklin-D.-Roosevelt-Straße).The sgraffito artwork, resembling that of the Innerberger Stadel, is dated back to 1613, as indicated by the year displayed on the gate construction. The term “buckle” is used to describe an ancient coin.The name Schnellentor comes from its past role as a toll station, where anyone entering the city in a carriage had to pay a pavement toll.Schnalberg is still the name for the top half of Gleinkergasse.The pavement and bridge tolls in Steyr were abolished on January 1, 1920, following a vote by the Upper Austrian state legislature on November 4, 1919.
The construction includes embrasures on the top floor, but they are not expected to have much strategic importance.The city wall fell in 1857, and there was a request to demolish the buckle gate in 1875. However, the municipal council narrowly rejected this proposal.Another attempt in 1887 was unsuccessful, possibly due to the rooms provided and the significant historical importance.The building was quickly repaired and restored to its original shape, including the sgraffito. They underwent another round of refurbishment in 1952. The walkway surrounding the gate was built in 1973. In 2017, the gate’s foundation was repaired. Now, the focus for 2018 is on revitalizing the facade and vault.
