The Säbener Gate

Also known as „Stadeltor“ as it led into the Stadelgasse road, its more recent name derives from the Lords of Säben, whose residence was on the corner of Großer and Kleiner Graben, a building later known as Lachmüller house. The Lords were in charge ofprotection of the city gate, and their coat of arms used to be painted on its south wall. Despite slight restoration work carried out in the 19th century, the gate still looks as it does on ancient engravings. The distinctive tower with its four windows used to have openings on the sides which led to the defensive corridor along the old city walls. A staircase still leads to the two upper floors with the embrasures. You can locate it by looking at the rectangular opening in the vault of the gateway, which also served as a machicolation, a hole used to defend the city against invaders or fire.

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 Historical documents from the 18th century show that these gates were still regularly locked after dark and there was no other way of entering the town.