Burtscheider Turm

The Lange Turm (Long Tower), also known as the Pulverturm (Powder Tower), is one of the few surviving defensive towers of Aachen's outer city wall, which was built around 1300. It stands on a hill between Turmstrasse and Junkerstrasse and thus occupied the highest point of the wall ring. Because the terrain rises outside the city wall, this position called for an especially tall tower that offered wide views over what was then the city area. This made it not only an important military lookout but also a central signal station, communicating with the surrounding watchtowers by smoke, light, or cannon shots.

The tower's architecture is distinguished by a circular floor plan that is flat on the side facing the city and rounded toward the Königshügel (King's Hill). It has four stories; the lower levels were equipped with domed vaults and arrow slits for archers, while the upper floors had wooden ceilings and hatches for artillery. The structure was originally crowned by a conical roof, but it now has a flat roof with battlements. Over the centuries, the tower suffered severe damage from lightning strikes, fires, and military bombardment, particularly during the Thirty Years' War.

Following an extensive restoration, which also addressed the effects of an earthquake in the 1990s, the tower served as a student residence for a long time. Today it is a historic witness to the city's medieval fortifications and offers insights into Aachen's defensive strategies.