Town Fortification Freistadt-Böhmertor

The listed Böhmer Gate is a medieval city gate in Freistadt, Upper Austria. The Böhmer Gate is a mighty gate tower and was formerly called Spitalstor (Hospital Gate), because until the 15th century the Freistadt hospital stood outside the gate next to the Liebfrauenkirche (Church of Our Lady). Another name was Frauentor (Women's Gate), a name that arose because of the Liebfrauenkirche and the nearby Frauenteich (Women's Pond). Later, the name changed to its current one, as the road through the gate leads to Bohemia.

It was built in the 13th century at the northern access to the city (the Linzer Gate stands in the south) and is thus one of the oldest gates of the city fortifications. After the fortification of Freistadt, the old trade route from Enns to Bohemia, the later Imperial Road (Linz - Prague) and then Federal Highway 125, passed through here.

The Böhmer Gate is built entirely differently from the Linzer Gate, although it was rebuilt around 1485 by the same master builder Mathes Klayndl. The Böhmer Gate is as old as the city itself; its foundations date from the 13th century. Three mighty, 12-meter-high walls were erected on these foundations. These three outer walls were then extended with thick beams and a wooden structure for three floors. At the very top, a roof turret was added in the Baroque period. Around this time, a bastion was piled up in front of the Böhmer Gate; today, the St. Leonhard statue stands there.

The fire of 1880, originating from the Schlosskaserne (Castle Barracks), destroyed the wooden structure and also severely damaged the walls. After the fire, the idea arose to demolish the gate, but this was prevented by the then mayor of Freistadt, Pemberger. Only the inner city wall with the city gate and the uppermost floor (4th) were demolished at that time. The Böhmer Gate was not completely reconstructed, which is why today only the outer walls are visible.