Bastion

The Bulwark of St John, commonly known as the bastion, is the largest and best preserved bulwark in the outer ramparts of the Old Town, located at the highest point of the district. The bulwark was probably built at turn of the 15th and 16th century as an adjacent bastion supporting the defences of the gatehouse of St John’s Gate. The bulwark and the rest of the town fortifications were upgraded by the army of the Holy Roman Empire around the year 1630, during the Thirty Years’ War. Currently, the bulwark is 12 m high and its diameter is 60 m. It was also used as workshop by the local bell founders. The Griffonet is shown with a cannon which refers to the defensive function of the “Rondel” and the events of the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648).