St. Florian's Gate - City Walls

City Walls

Until the 19th century, Kraków had massive medieval city walls. The inner wall was some 2.4 meters wide and 6–7 meters high. Ten meters outside the inner wall was an outer, lower one. The walls were punctuated by defensive towers 10 metres high. In the 19th century — just before they were demolished by the Austrian authorities — there were 47 towers still standing. Now there are only three Gothic towers left in all Kraków: the Carpenters', Haberdashers' and Joiners' Towers, connected to St. Florian's Gate by walls several dozen meters long.

Read more about this topic:  St. Florian's Gate

Famous quotes containing the words city and/or walls:

    “The city is a fact in nature, like a cave, a run of mackerel or an ant-heap. But it is also a conscious work of art, and it holds within its communal framework many simpler and more personal forms of art. Mind takes form in the city; and in turn, urban forms condition mind.”
    —Lewis Mumford (1895–1990)

    “Glorious things of thee are spoken, Zion city of our God!
    He, whose word cannot be broken, Form’d for thee his own abode:
    On the rock of ages founded, What can shake thy sure repose?
    With salvation’s walls surrounded Thou may’st smile at all thy foes.”
    —John Newton (1725–1807)