Bridge tower

They were typically built in the period up to early modern times as part of a city or town wall or castle.

These towers were built in pre-medieval and medieval times to guard access to the bridge and to enable the charging of tolls on important roads crossing rivers, usually near towns and cities.

As a result, it was important from a defensive perspective that the bridges did not allow attacking enemies to break in.

In addition to their genuine protective and defensive functions they also played a symbolic and architectural role.

Often these towers were the first public buildings that the travellers saw when approaching the city.

The Old Lahn Bridge in Limburg an der Lahn with its surviving bridge tower
Bridge tower on the Old Bridge in Frankfurt am Main around 1600
The 1357 Old Town Tower on Charles Bridge in Prague .
The late 19th century Bridge tower on the Nibelungen Bridge in Worms
Puente de Frías, 14th century, crossing the River Ebro in Spain.
The 14th century Warkworth Bridge .