Abridge tower (German:Brückenturm) was a type offortified tower built on abridge. They were typically built in the period up toearly modern times as part of acity or town wall orcastle. There is usually a tower at both ends of the bridge. During the 19th century, a number of bridge towers were built in theGothic Revival style –Tower Bridge inLondon is perhaps the best known example; however, many original medieval towers survive across Europe.
These towers were built in pre-medieval andmedieval times to guard access to the bridge and to enable the charging oftolls on importantroads crossing rivers, usually near towns and cities. The rivers were often part of the defences of these settlements. As a result, it was important from a defensive perspective that the bridges did not allow attacking enemies to break in. The bridges acted as a bulwark and often had a smalldrawbridge. In addition to their genuine protective and defensive functions they also played a symbolic and architectural role. Often these towers were the first public buildings that the travellers saw when approaching the city.
Sometimes, the same building served as bridge tower andbridge chapel, for example at theKrämerbrücke inErfurt.
The high cost of such towers was usually paid for by charging tolls. The gates of bridge towers were closed at night, so that no-one could cross the bridge during silent hours.
They were relatively common in mediaeval France,[1] but much rarer in England whereWarkworth Bridge is one of the few examples.[2]
