The City Tower – Upper Balcony

The City Tower offers a panoramic view of the town and its surroundings. After climbing a few dozen steps, take a moment to enjoy the unique view right in the heart of the town. Notice the line of the original town fortifications stretching from the castle, through the Brezina forest park to the City Tower, then past the synagogue and on to Palackého Street. At its very end, in the area of the street in front of the Trenčín Museum and Hotel Elizabeth, stood the Upper Gate, also known as the Water Gate. It formed the entrance to the town via bridges crossing the Váh River. In the past, the river frequently flooded and included a branch that flowed in close proximity to the town fortifications. For this reason, the town was quite often hit by floods. The Upper Gate took the form of a passage through a prismatic gate-tower with an outer gate, ending in two cylindrical towers. It was protected by cannons placed in an artillery bastion that is part of Trenčín Castle. Eventually, the gate had to give way to the practical needs of the town and was demolished in 1871. Head to the other end of the square and notice the outline of the gate’s ground plan marked in the paving at the place where it originally stood.