The Long Tower
Turmstra ß e 101, Aachen, Germany
Description:
The Long Tower is one of the few surviving medieval fortifications of the historic city wall. The tower was built in the XIV century together with the external defensive wall, of which it was a part. The tower still stands on a high hill, and in the Middle Ages was in the highest and most vulnerable point of the fortress wall of the city. Therefore, its importance for those times is difficult to overestimate. The tower served as a survey, fire, signal tower.
The building was burned and destroyed during numerous local and regional military operations. At the end of the XIX century, the building changed its appearance, for example, the conical roof was replaced by a flat one with turrets. But in April 1992, after a strong earthquake, most of the tower was again destroyed.
It gained its current appearance not so long ago, thanks to large financial investments. Now the four-storey building has been used as a student dormitory of the Catholic University of Aachen.