Defensive construction and status symbol

Built between 1564 and 1589 on the site of an older fort

Visible from afar, the Munot towers over Schaffhausen. Built between 1564 and 1589 on the site of an older fortress, it was a monument to a proud and prosperous town, which was without equal in the wider region at the time.

Formally, the Munot is a “roundel”, a type of fortress which was developed in the 15th century. The earlier, medieval town walls and towers were no longer able to withstand the firepower of the newly developed large cannon.

New fortresses were therefore built with thicker, stronger walls and spacious interiors where large cannon could be kept out of the rain. The exterior surfaces of the walls were slanted or rounded so that enemy missiles would bounce off them and be rendered useless.