Letzi

A Letzi (plural: Letzinen, also known in German as a Talsperre in the sense of a fortification, not a dam[1]) or Letzimauer refers to defensive barriers whose purpose is to protect the entrance into a valley. The term is Swiss, and such stone barriers were particularly common in medieval Switzerland but were also built in Austria and Germany.

The castles and defensive barriers of Bellinzona

Location

Letzis usually consisted of:

  • hill castles on the valley sides or on heights either side of the valley
  • defensive walls, often in combination with other bastions, running transversely across the valley in order to seal it completely. Because these parts of the position were typically unable to use the advantage of height, they had some of the character of lowland castles.

Because they had a combination of elements of hill and lowland castles, letzis did not fall neatly into either category.

The walls were often several kilometres long, for example in Rothenthurm SZ, and were often combined with ditches.[2][3][4]

Such defensive valley barriers were still being built in the 19th century, for example the Forte della Chiusa and Buco di Vela.

Purpose

Researchers have not been united in all respects about whether these fortifications actually served as protective lines of defence or whether, in most cases, they were just intended as border marcations and defence against cattle thieves.[3]

What is certain is the Letzis were used to force merchants to adhere to specified routes (Straßenzwang) and thus to enable the collection of customs duties (Wegzoll) and money to pay for the maintenance of the roads.[5]

Examples with hill castles
  • Castle and letzi of Castelmur
    Castle and letzi of Castelmur
  • The castle ruins in the Mühlbacher Klause, which guards the western Pustertal
    The castle ruins in the Mühlbacher Klause, which guards the western Pustertal
  • Letzi of Mülenen Castle
    Letzi of Mülenen Castle
  • Buco di Vela
    Buco di Vela

Free-standing examples
  • Letzimauer at Näfels
    Letzimauer at Näfels
  • Letzimauer at Oberarth
    Letzimauer at Oberarth
  • Letzi Tower in Morgarten
    Letzi Tower in Morgarten
  • Porta Claudia
    Porta Claudia

Name

The Swiss German word, Letzi, comes from the Middle High German "letze", i. e. a barrier, obstacle, defensive wall or border fortification.[9] Even today many toponyms include the words Letzinen, Letzimauern or Letzitürme. Remains of such defensive fortifications may still be seen in many places today.

Examples of Letzi in place names:

  • Letzigasse in Zofingen
  • Letzigraben and Letzistrasse in Zürich
  • Letzigrund Stadium in Zürich

References
  1. "Letzi - Grammatik" (in German). Duden. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  2. Jakob Obrecht (2000), Historischer Verein des Kantons Schwyz (ed.), "Archäologische Sondiergrabungen an der Letzimauer Rothenthurm, 1999", Mitteilungen des Historischen Vereins des Kantons Schwyz (in German), vol. Band 92, pp. 11–32
  3. Martin Merki (14 July 2012), "Eine chinesische Mauer in Schwyz?", Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German), no. 162, p. 13
  4. Matthias Dürst. "Der Letzigraben". Gang dur Alt-Züri (in German). Retrieved 2012-07-16.
  5. Thomas Kühtreiber (2012), Kornelia Holzner-Tobisch; Thomas Kühtreiber; Gertrud Blaschitz (eds.), "Straße und Burg. Anmerkungen zu einem vielschichtigen Verhältnis", Die Vielschichtigkeit der Straße. Kontinuität und Wandel in Mittelalter und früher Neuzeit, Veröffentlichungen des Instituts für Realienkunde des Mittelalters und der frühen Neuzeit (in German), Wien, vol. 22, pp. 263–301
  6. "Marienpilgerweg". Marienpilgerweg.at (in German). Retrieved 2016-10-19.
  7. "Jenig". Jenig.at (in German). Retrieved 2016-10-19.
  8. "Landmauer Gamsen". Archived from the original on 2013-06-07. Retrieved 2020-02-26.
  9. Weiteres siehe Schweizerisches Idiotikon, Vol. III, Col. 1558 f., Article Letzi, Bed. 1a (with remarks, col. 1562).
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