The Kreuztor Gate

Today mainly known as “Sonnentor” (Sun Gate), the old name is derived from the Kreuzstraße Street, which led into the Old Town from here. Travellers from Bozen entered by the Kreuztor gate and passed the “Lauben” arcades before leaving for the Pustertal Valley through Saint Michael’s gate at the White Tower. Before this became the established route, traffic would go through the Runggadgasse in the south of the city. The gate is thought to date back to the first half of the 13th century but was altered several times; most notably a second gate was added in 1911, when traffic had considerably increased as a result of the newly built Station Road.

Interesting detail

In the early 18th century the height of the tower above the Kreuztor was lowered and the top was decorated with a Baroque gable to match the style of the Hofgarten; it was however restored to its original form in 1910.

General information about the city gates

Brixen’s four oldest city gates are all still intact: the Sonnentor gate, also called Kreuztor, is found in the west, the Cloister gate in the east, Saint Michael’s gate at the White Tower and the Säbener gate in the north of the town. Historical documents from the 18th century show that these gates were still regularly locked after dark and there was no other way of entering the town.