Charlottentor

The Charlottentor was a gate in Magdeburg’s old city walls, standing on the eastern edge of the fortress. It marked the main route into the city from the east, leading travellers through the Turmschanze, the fortified bridgehead on the Elbe’s eastern bank. To reach the old town, visitors had to cross an arm of the river, pass the Zitadelle Magdeburg, cross another arm and then pass through either the Old or New Brücktor. The gate stood first near the middle of today’s Am Charlottentor street before being moved north of Brückstraße. The gate was built around 1820 when the Berlin Chaussee replaced the older road through Cracauer Tor. It may have been named after Sophie Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The gate had brick pillars capped with dressed stone and steel swing doors. A blockhouse stood on the outer side and a drawbridge crossed the defensive ditch. By 1870 the new Brückstraße changed the route, so the old gate was demolished and rebuilt further along the street. The gate saw no fighting and in 1886 the tracks of the steam tramway from Heumarkt to Herrenkrug were laid through it. By the late 19th century the fortress had lost its military value and the gate was abandoned after 1890, then demolished by 1895. Today the street name Am Charlottentor keeps the memory of the gate alive.