Lindenhof Hill - Lindenhof As Part of Zurich's Medieval Fortifications

Lindenhof As Part of Zurich's Medieval Fortifications

During the middle ages, the hilltop leveled fort became the retaining wall and gave the Lindenhof terrace largely its current form. Significant parts of the lime mortar and ancient castle wall are integrated into the town houses around the Lindenhof and in a Kaiserpfalz (1218 broken), place of festivities, as the engagement of the later German emperor Henry IV with Bertha von Turin on Christmas 1055. The roman castle's remains existed until the early medieval age, as a Carolingian, later Ottonian Pfalz (1054) was built on its remains. This Kaiserpfalz was a long building with a chapel on the eastern side of the fortified hill. Lindenhof thus formed the core of the medieval fortifications of Zurich. The emperor Pfalz was reconstructed to a fortified castle (1172 last mentioned, 1218 broken).

In 1937, archaeologists found from west to east oriented graves of late medieval children and adults. In the year 1384, a chapel on the Lindenhof is mentioned, but no remains were found. It is believed, that the chapel was part of the processional axis Wasserkirche, Grossmünster and Fraumünster church, processions that ended 1524/25 (Swiss Reformation). These religious celebration at Pentecost honored Zurich's Saints Felix and Regula and Exuperantius.