Alte Schmiede und Scheiblingturm Freistadt

A rarity - then as now - is the old town smithy in the town centre, which is still in operation during the "Bierstacheln" tour. Right next to it is the 21 metre high Scheibling Tower (at the new crossing), which was built to protect the water intake and at the same time as the Dechanthof Tower in 1444-47.

It was unusual to operate a smithy within the city walls. Craftsmen,
who worked with open fires, such as stove-makers or blacksmiths, but also those who produced unpleasant odours, such as leather workers, were banned from the town from time immemorial. In Freistadt there is also Hafnerzeile, Schmiedgasse and Lederertal outside the town. The old town smithy was probably already located here before the town was founded. In the event of a siege, it was a great advantage to have an active forge right in the city centre
to have an active smithy right in the town centre, for example to make arrowheads or repair things.
The Scheibling Tower takes its name from its ground plan, which is a disc. It is one of two round towers that were built in the 15th century as an addition to the town fortifications. The Hussites had tried to conquer Freistadt. But they failed and burnt down the suburbs out of anger. The people of Freistadt then decided to protect the water inlet into the moat and the outlet at the lowest point of the moat from future attacks.

Its twin brother, the Dechanthof Tower, therefore stands at the other end of the town at the water outlet from the moat. The reconstructed battlements, which used to
used to stretch around the entire town. The tower that was closest to the Scheibling Tower,
only exists today as a stump. We'll find out why in a moment.