Neutor

Neutor stands in the outer fortifications of Marienberg Fortress on Würzburg’s northern slope. The passage crosses the curtain wall between the St Sebastian and St George bastions, above Tellsteige. Neutorwiese rises behind it, with footpaths leading towards Schönborntor and the Schönborn outpost gate.

Construction began during the Swedish occupation in 1633 and 1634, then finished in 1652 and 1653. Johann Philipp Preuß completed the work under Prince-Bishop Johann Philipp von Schönborn. A counterweighted bridge once tipped upwards from a bridge cellar, while a smaller eastern passage served pedestrians. The slightly curved route blocked direct gunfire, and its centre still shows the guide for a portcullis. Casemates flank the passage, while loopholes, ventilation openings and guard rooms reveal the fortress’s defensive planning. Graffiti scratched into the stone and grooves for sharpening halberds preserve traces of the guards’ daily routines.

Sculpture gives the entrance a theatrical face: grim masks, an armed guard, lions and stone warriors surround the passage. A Schönborn coat of arms appears outside with lions and inside with angels, putti and garlands. The inner figures personify youth and old age, carrying spring flowers and autumn grapes. Above them, Hercules watches over the approach.