A tower to the south of Amden, on the northern shore of the Walensee, was originally known as Mediaeval Burg Stralegg. It has been preserved to a height of 5.80 m.
View of the tower. Photo: Wikimedia, Maulaff.The building was investigated in 1937, 1952 and 1960. From the mortar, containing Verrucano sand, was deduced that it was a Roman watchtower. Only the upper part has Mediaeval mortar. The tower stands 30 meters above the lake and measures 10.38 x 10.40 m., with walls 2.10 m. thick at the base and 0.85 m. in the upper part. The lower part was stepped. Beamholes (0.35 x 0.21 m.) testify to the presence of an upper floor. Other beams may have protruded from the building and supported an ambulatory on the outside. The entrance was in the south wall, on the side of the lake, and had to be reached with a ladder or via a staircase. Traces of windows have been preserved that must have been some 30 cm. wide. The tower must have been built in the late first century BC, in relation to the military campaign of 16/15 BC, and used only briefly.
Drawing of the south wall, seen from the inside. Laur-Belart et al. 1960, Abb. 67.
Detail of the south wall, with traces of the entrance. Photo: Wikimedia, Adrian Michael.
Reconstruction drawings of the tower with one and two upper floors. Laur-Belart et al. 1960, Abb. 72.
Literature
Laur-Belart - Grüninger - Schmid 1960; Drack-Fellmann 1988, 320-321; Drack-Fellmann 1991, 35-36; Roth-Rubi et al. 2004.
[14-Dec-2023]
