Rüthen town wall

The fortifications of the 14th century were connected by a city wall with four city gates and eleven towers. The entire city wall was around 3000 meters long. The fortifications were used to protect the inhabitants, for example in the Soest Feud, during the Thirty Years' War or in battles between the lords of the land and to ward off robber barons. The walls were between 1.20 meters and 1.80 meters wide and between 3.00 meters and 3.50 meters high. The thickness of the wall tapered towards the top, where the battlements were protected by a wall crown interrupted by observation and firing gaps. In places where the town was not protected by Sondern due to its location on a hilltop, but instead merged into the open land, double moats were also constructed.