The Old Bridge and its wooden predecessors led to the towns
main north entrance, which was protected by the Bridge Gate.
This medieval gate survived all floods and ice, and after
the construction of the stone bridge served as a guardhouse
and jail (the Guilt Tower, or Schuldturm). In 1788 the original
conical tops of the gate towers were replaced with Baroque
spires. In the eastern tower, a sandstone spiral staircase
leads up into living quarters above the gates arch.
The western tower contains three low-ceilinged rooms that
were once used for detaining suspicious persons.
Toward the west, the gate used to directly adjoin the official
granary (Kornhaus), which was destroyed in 1693 and subsequently
rebuilt but then torn down for good in 1897.