Near Möhlin, in the north-west part of the canton, three watchtowers were found. The one at locality Untere Wehren, measuring 9 x 9 m., was described a few times in the past, after which the ruins collapsed. What was left was inspected in 2014.
The scant remains of the watchtower at Untere Wehren. Photo: Kanton Aargau.A second watchtower, at locality Fahrgraben, was discovered in 1900 and investigated in 1919. Two walls were preserved, 1.80 and 1.50 m. wide. The remainder had disappeared in the river Rhine. The tower presumably measured 9.50 x 9.50 meters.
The remains of the watchtower at Fahrgraben. Photo: Wikimedia, PantaRhei.A third tower was found at locality Ryburg-Bürkli and investigated in 1919 and 1941. Only the impression of the foundation of a wall (a "negative" wall) was found, the remainder had collapsed in the river Rhine. There are some other remains at this spot that belong to the eighth to tenth century, as indicated by carbon-14 dates.
Plan of the watchtowers at Fahrgraben and Ryburg-Bürkli. From the information panels.
Literature
Hartmann-Weber 1985, 183-184; Drack-Fellmann 1988, 479-480; Drack-Fellmann 1991, 178-179; Schwarz - Ammann - Deschler-Erb 2014; Schwarz 2016.
[28-Sep-2023]
