Alexanderturm

Gazing up at the Alexanderturm, one might hear whispers of Roman legions. The Alexanderturm stands on the foundation of a Roman tower from the 4th century. This area was once part of the Roman city of Mogontiacum. Imagine the Roman soldiers patrolling these very grounds. The Alexanderturm, along with the Holzturm and the Eisenturm, are three surviving city towers from Mainz’s medieval wall. The Alexanderturm has seen centuries of history. It witnessed the ebb and flow of Roman power. It also saw the reconstruction of Mainz’s defenses around 1190 after their destruction by Emperor Frederick I. Throughout the Middle Ages, the tower underwent numerous renovations. Its current form dates back to the 15th century. It was then known as the “Round Windmill Tower”. Later, in the 18th and 19th centuries, it was called the “Powder Tower”. This was because it stored gunpowder for the Mainz garrison. The name Alexanderturm came into use after 1860. This was when the Alexander Barracks were built nearby. In the late 19th century, the Alexanderturm served as a water tower. By the 1920s, it was recorded as being roofless. Today, the Alexanderturm resides within the private grounds of the Kupferberg-Sektkellerei. This means it isn’t publicly accessible. It stands as a silent sentinel. It guards centuries of stories within its weathered stones.