Town fortification with Knieper gate and Küter gate
Only 2 of the formerly 10 city gates of Stralsund are left. The Knieper gate was named after a 13th century upper-class family and was mentioned for the first time in 1304. It used to be one of the most important access points to the old market place.The Küter gate had its first recorded mention in 1281. The name comes from the old northern German word for butcher. Küter gate and bastion are part of the fortification around the hanseatic town Stralsund.
The Küter gate was built in 1446. Küter gate and bastion are part of the fortification of Stralsund. Apart from the Künter gate the Knieper gate is the only city gate still standing. The Knieper gate had its first recorded mention in 1293 but got his current appearance in the 15th century. It got his name from a former citizen of Stralsund, called Knepe or Kneper.
The almost square-shaped gate is 18 m high and repeatedly played an important role in the town’s history, i.e. when Wallenstein tried and failed to get into the city during the Thirty Years’ War. In 1809 Napoleon’s troops were the first to intrude the city. This event is remembered by a plaque for Friedrich Gustav of Petersson – a Swedish soldier – who, together with major Ferdinand of Schill tried to protect the town from Napoleon’s army. Petersson was captured and shot dead in front of the gate on the 4th of June 1809.
Nowadays there is a flat inside the gate.