Althofen celebrates: New book reveals fascinating city history!

Althofen celebrates: New book reveals fascinating city history!

On June 16, 2025, the publication of the second volume of the book series "Matucaium" took place by the Althofen City Archives. This volume contains a total of 24 contributions to city history from antiquity to the present and highlights multi -layered topics, including the Roman settlement, medieval buildings and the villa architecture in Unterburg. The book, which includes 212 pages and is illustrated with 43 illustrations, is described as a well -founded addition to the Althofen historiography. Particularly noteworthy is the book presentation planned for June 26th in the Hemmalandsaal of the music school, in which historian Günther Juff will give an accompanying lecture on the building age of important buildings such as the Annenturm and Töscheldorf Castle.

The price of the book is 25 euros and it will be available both during the presentation and in bookstores. The municipality of Althofen as well as the Schöffmann bookstore and the Ploder printing house deserves special thanks for your support with this publication.

The landmark of Althofen: The Annenturm

The Annenturm, a striking landmark of the city, has been recognized as such in the perception of Althofener for over 100 years. Many theories surround the function and time of the tower. Two central questions are: Was the Annenturm just a defensive tower or served as the seat of a high official? In addition, the exact dating of the building is unclear, whereby the proposals of around 1000 to 1300 AD are sufficient. Historians argue that the tower was actually a defensive tower that was built around 1307 as part of the fortifications.

The name "Annenturm" goes back to Anna Grobecker, a former owner of the tower, which was provided with a wooden viewing platform in 1957, which gave him a roof structure. A café for the platform was originally planned, but this project was not implemented. The Annenturm has a square floor plan of around 11 x 11 meters and was over 20 meters before the redesign in 1957. The tower receives its characteristic structure through four floors that were previously separated by wooden ceilings. Scharten and a high entrance on the north side are special features of architecture.

historical development of the city of Althofen

The development of Althofen is a typical example of urban development in Central Europe. For centuries, the city forms have changed and developed. The Roman settlement led to the foundation of the first cities, and Althofen experienced in the Middle Ages, like many cities, a rapid expansion, often strategically located on trade streets. These cities were characterized by a chess -like arrangement with walls and public facilities such as thermal baths.

From the late Middle Ages, the establishment of new cities decreased, while existing cities developed primarily through further fortifications and military structures. The Annenturm is a testimony to this era, since it was part of the security systems that were created by local rulers.

The further developments in the industrial age led to strong growth in urban areas, which often led to social division and different urban planning requirements. The combination of the inheritance of past centuries and modern developments makes the city of Althofen an interesting example of historical urban development in Central Europe.