Brazil
Argentina
Bolivia
Chile
Colombia
Ecuador
Guyana
French Guiana
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Uruguay
Venezuela
Austria
Belgium
Croatia
Denmark
Spain
Finland
France
Greece
the Netherlands
Hungary
Ireland
Iceland
Italy
Luxembourg
Norway
Poland
Portugal
the United Kingdom
the Czech Republic
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
the United States
Mexico
the Dominican Republic
South Africa
Australia
Fiji
Monument · Aachen, Renânia do Norte-Vestfália
Ponttor
Medieval gate from the early 14th century, one of the two remaining of the eleven gates of Aachen’s outer wall. It stands at the end of the Pontstraße, the street of bars and restaurants in the student district.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Discover
About Ponttor
The Ponttor is the western gate of the two northern gates of Aachen’s former outer wall. It was built around the early 14th century, when new neighborhoods and churches outside the old wall required a second line of defense. In the 17th and 18th centuries it was called the bridge gate.
Of the eleven gates that the Free Imperial City of Aachen once had, only two remain: the Ponttor in the north and the Marschiertor in the south. The Ponttor is a multi-storey gate-castle with a barbican in front, connected to it.
Today the gate is used by scout groups and is viewed from the outside. At night it receives special lighting. The Pontstraße, which runs from the gate to the market square, is the liveliest street of the student quarter, with bars, cafés and restaurants.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
About 15 minutes to see the gate from the outside.
Best time
In the late afternoon or at night, when the gate is lit and the Pontstraße fills with people.
How to get there
It is at the end of the Pontstraße, about a ten-minute walk from the market square. Several buses stop at the Ponttor stop.
Tip
Walk from the market square to the gate along the Pontstraße and from there climb the Lousberg, the hill-park to the north, to see the city from above.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Ponttor
How many medieval gates remain in Aachen?
Two, of the eleven the outer wall once had: the Ponttor to the north and the Marschiertor to the south.
Can you go inside the Ponttor?
The gate is used by scout groups and is visited from the outside. At night it is specially illuminated.
What is Pontstraße?
It is the street that runs from the market square to the Ponttor, with bars, cafés and restaurants popular with students and visitors.