Half tower

A half tower (sometimes half-tower), open tower,^[1] or open-gorged tower^[2] (German: Schalenturm, Halbschalenturm or Schanzturm) is a fortified stone tower in an external wall or castle enceinte that is open, or only lightly constructed, at the rear. Towers of this type were used, for example, in city walls. City gates can also be incorporated into a type of half tower.

Half tower in the town walls of Freiburg im Üechtland

The Porte d'Orange in Carpentras, a town gate built as a half tower

Description

Unlike closed towers, which were fully enclosed by walls, half towers were open on the inside, typically the side facing the city or the inner bailey of a castle. On this side, a wooden railing on individual floors stopped people or objects from falling off. Sometimes the open side was sealed with wooden planking or weaker timber framed walls. Towers that are fully open at the top and rear are open towers, whilst those only open on the lower floors (i.e., the top floor is walled and roofed) are partially open towers.^[1]

Most half towers were semi-circular in plan, but some were rectangular.

Examples

Semi-circular half towers

• Bergerschanzturm in Aachen, Germany
• Endingerturm in Rapperswil, Switzerland
• Haldenturm in Rapperswil
• Karlsturm in Aachen
• Schildturm in Aachen
• Dover Castle, Kent, England
• Framlingham Castle, Suffolk, England
• Orford Castle, Suffolk, England (possible)
• Wehrturm am Gänsbühl in Ravensburg, Germany

City or town wall towers

• Dinkelsbühl, Germany
• Bad Hersfeld, Germany
• Einbeck, Germany
• Freiburg im Üechtland, Switzerland

• 
  Bitzenturm, Ahrweiler
• 
  Dinkelsbühl
• 
  Ravensburg
• 
  Sisteron (South France)

Rectangular half towers

• Krichelenturm in Aachen
• Schänzchen in Aachen
• Porte d'Orange in Carpentras, France

Town wall towers in

• Payerne, Switzerland
• Ston, Croatia
• Głogów, Poland
• Avignon and Aigues-Mortes (illustrated)

• 
  Payerne
• 
  Ston
• 
  Głogów
• 
  Avignon, Aigues-Mortes