Pulverturm (Gunpowder Tower), Lucerne

Traditionally, as a safety measure, Lucerne stored its gunpowder in two separate towers: the Hay Tower and the Gunpowder Tower. That decision proved wise in 1701, when the Hay Tower was destroyed by a massive explosion, while the gunpowder stored in the other tower remained safely out of harm’s way.

The Gunpowder Tower is one of the oldest along the Musegg Wall. Records suggest that it was built sometime between the winter of 1398–99 and 1408, making it the second-oldest tower in the fortifications. Its interior was later modified around 1512 to 1515.

The tower was originally named after Jost Holdermeyer, a city treasurer who served around 1570 and owned a garden nearby.

Standing some 27.5 meters high, it has remarkably solid walls, around 1.6 meters thick. If you look closely at the lower part of the stonework, you may notice that the masonry pattern differs from the sections above. This has led to a theory that an earlier structure, possibly Tannberg Castle, once stood on this site.

There is no firm evidence for that theory, however. The change in masonry may simply reflect different phases of construction. Medieval building work often stopped during winter months because lime mortar could not set properly in cold weather. When it resumed in spring, a different group of workers may have used stone from another quarry and freshly mixed mortar, creating the visible change in the wall.

Today, the Gunpowder Tower has a very different purpose. Since 1970, it has served as the guild hall of the Wey Guild, which was founded in 1925 to help revive Lucerne’s Carnival traditions. The guild maintains the tower as part of the municipal property.

Unlike some of the other Musegg towers, the Gunpowder Tower is not open to visitors, so its medieval appearance can only be viewed from the outside.