St.Gallen in the Past: A City of Gates and Walls

Walking through the open squares and streets of St.Gallen today, it’s hard to imagine that the city was once completely enclosed by massive walls — with access strictly controlled through a series of guarded gates. Three historic copper engravings give us a fascinating glimpse into this time, showing how protected and fortified St.Gallen used to be.

From the Middle Ages up to the 19th century, the city was surrounded by powerful fortifications. Entry and exit were only possible through specific gates, which served as important checkpoints. Merchants, pilgrims, and visitors had to pass through these gates — often paying a toll or undergoing inspection.

The historical copper engravings clearly show that these were not simple openings in the wall. The gates were imposing structures, often reinforced with towers, heavy wooden doors, and sometimes even drawbridges. They symbolized both the safety and the authority of the city.

In the past, St.Gallen was enclosed by strong city walls with major gates like the Brühltor, Spisertor, St. Leonhardstor, and Neutor, which controlled access and protected the city. Smaller gates such as the Schibenertor, Multertor and Gallustor connected the city to the surrounding countryside and served specific purposes like trade, pilgrimage, and monastery access. As the city expanded in the 19th century, most gates were demolished, but their names remain today as echoes of a once fortified St.Gallen.

As St.Gallen expanded in the 19th century, the old medieval layout became too restrictive. The city walls and gates were gradually dismantled to make way for new streets, buildings, and a growing population. Today, only one gates is left – the Karlstor and a small part of the original wall remind us of this fortified past.

The three historic copper engravings act like windows into another world: they reveal a proud and vigilant city, where every gate was not just an entrance, but a critical point for life inside and beyond the walls. So next time you stroll through St.Gallen, remember — you are walking in the footsteps of a city once protected by mighty gates and strong stone walls.

Diese Bilder stammen aus dem Buch «St.Galler Geschichten» von Clarissa Schwarz.