Hexenturm

The Hexenturm, or Witches' Tower, stands as a squat, circular fragment of Heidelberg's medieval fortifications. Built of rough, gray sandstone, it is the only remaining tower from the original city wall that once defended the western side of the town. While its name suggests a dark history of trials, records from the seventeenth century show it served primarily as a dungeon for common criminals. One prisoner, a thief named Hans, escaped by crawling through the narrow latrine chute into the moat below.