The foundations of a medieval tower that stood on the thirteenth century ramparts have been found in Breda, southern Netherlands. The medieval brick wall was discovered about two toes under road degree. The surviving part of wall is semi-circular now, however archaeologists can not decide whether or not the total tower was round, semi-circular or horseshoe-shaped.
The earliest data of Breda date to the eleventh century when it was a direct fief of the Holy Roman Emperor. It was granted a municipal constitution in 1252 and the constitution allowed it to construct fortifications for its protection. The primary defensive wall was an earthen rampart that encircled the town within the late thirteenth century. Within the 14th century, a wall and a moat had been added. On the east facet of the town, the stone wall was constructed towards the rampart as a substitute of changing it. That method defenders may stroll the rampart and fewer stone battlements needed to be constructed atop of the wall.
The placement of the newly-discovered tower is squarely in the course of the thick rampart, so not related to the later metropolis wall. Stays of Breda’s 14th century wall towers have been discovered earlier than, however that is the primary rampart tower ever unearthed.
The excavation is a part of an formidable redesign of Breda to make it a “Metropolis within the park,” a inexperienced metropolis of linked parks that join the historic nucleus of the town with the outlying areas, combatting site visitors congestion, warmth stress, flooding and concrete sprawl. The medieval wall performs a key position as a inexperienced wreath can be created across the historic middle following the trail of the ramparts that had been demolished centuries in the past to make method for the outward growth of the town.
The rampart tower has now been reburied below a thick layer of sand for its personal safety.
