The Munot fortress is the landmark of Schaffhausen. It towers high above the town on a hill. The ring-shaped bulwark was built in the 16th century. The Munot offers a breathtaking view of the town of Schaffhausen and the Rhine.
Munot Fortress
The tower houses the Munot watchwoman’s apartment, who rings the famous Munot bell for five minutes every evening at 9 p.m. – by hand, of course, just like in 1589.
Munot fortress
The Munot fortress towers high above Schaffhausen and is the town’s landmark. From the Munot you can enjoy a fantastic view over the old town and the Rhine. This early modern fortress has a characteristic round shape. It was built between 1564 and 1589 by citizens of Schaffhausen, some of whom worked for the town.
The tower houses the home of the Munot guard. Every evening at 21:00, she rings the Munot bell for five minutes. The famous little bell from 1589 is the subject of a legend and a nationally known song.
Munot Tower
Saga and Swiss folk song
Legend has it that the bell in the Munot tower in Schaffhausen never rings unless the town is in danger.
A young tower keeper from Schaffhausen is said to have rung the bell out of vanity to impress his girlfriend. Shortly afterwards, a devastating fire broke out in the town, killing many people. Since then, the little bell is said to be rung only in emergencies and the bell of the tower can still be heard at night.
This legend is also the subject of the well-known Swiss folk song “D’Schifferli und sini Frou”.
Munot to protect the city
Schaffhausen joined the Swiss Confederation in 1501.
After the Reformation in 1529, there was a desire to strengthen the town fortifications of the time. The people of Schaffhausen also wanted to create an impressive and representative building. After its completion, doubts arose as to whether the Munot could withstand the increasingly powerful artillery. However, the Munot was only militarily occupied once in 1799. The French entrenched themselves on the Munot on their way back from the Austrians. After a brief skirmish, they fled across the Rhine.
Munot from above
Schaffhausen famous for the Rhine Falls and Munot
Schaffhausen is a small town in German-speaking Switzerland with 37,000 inhabitants and borders on Germany. It is known for the world-famous Rhine Falls and the Munot fortress, as well as its rich history and culture. Other sights in Schaffhausen: Vordergasse is the main street in the old town of Schaffhausen. It is lined with historic buildings and beautiful squares and offers many shopping opportunities and restaurants.
Fronwagplatz is centrally located in Schaffhausen’s Old Town and is car-free. There are two colorful fountains on the square, the Landsknechtbrunnen / Metzgerbrunnen and the Mohrenbrunnen. The square is dominated by the Fronwagturm tower. The large market scales used to hang in it. Today it can be admired in the All Saints’ Monastery Museum.
Schaffhausen old town
The astronomical clock by Joachim Habrecht is located in the gable field of the Fronwag tower. It displays 10 different astronomical functions and dates back to 1564. There are also many beautiful buildings from the 16th century on the historic Fronwagplatz.
Allerheiligen Abbey was a Benedictine abbey and was built in the 11th century. Today the monastery / minster is a Protestant Reformed parish church. It was built in the Romanesque style and houses a large number of works of art from the region.
The large Herrenacker Platz is located in the center of Schaffhausen. It is an important venue for cultural events and concerts. It is surrounded by historic buildings and beautiful parks.
These are just a few of the many sights Schaffhausen has to offer. The city is rich in history and cultural assets and offers visitors a variety of activities and attractions.
Traditional Munot balls in Schaffhausen
No other city in the Swiss Confederation was able to afford a building of comparable monumentality in the 16th century. There is a variety of traditional and modern activities around the Munot fortress.
The Munot Association, founded in 1839, organizes these events. The traditional Munot balls take place on the battlements between June and August, the highlight of which has been a ballroom dance, the quadrille, since 1886.
A children’s festival with fireworks has been held since 1940, and a summer open-air cinema has enjoyed great popularity since 1996. Until 1926, the office of Munot watchman was still effectively a reporting station.
Video about Schaffhausen and Munot
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