Christoffelturm, Worms

The Christoffelturm stands in the southern section of Worms’s inner ring of medieval walls. It was part of the city’s defences built in the early 10th century and later reinforced. The tower was largely destroyed in 1689 when French forces blew it up during the War of the Palatine Succession. Archaeologists found traces of high-medieval masonry when they examined the remains in 2013. The lower part of the tower still shows its original medieval stonework. In the 1920s the upper floors were rebuilt to house museum displays, and the tower became part of the Worms Museum. Builders reused fragments from other sites: a sculpted corner stone bearing two dragons and the city’s key motif, dated 1667, came from an unknown fortification point. A small balcony on the south side and most of the windows were added at the same time. Visitors today see the tower rising from the museum courtyard. The medieval base contrasts with the reconstructed upper levels, giving a clear sense of how the structure has changed. Inside, the museum uses the tower to show how Worms defended itself over the centuries. The nearby Andreasstift, another part of the museum, shares the same history.