Rostock City Wall and Cow Gate, Rostock

The Rostock City Wall provides a fascinating glimpse into the city's medieval past. These well-preserved fortifications, which once encircled an area of approximately one square kilometer, still stand proudly today..

Located to the south-west of the Gothic Kropeliner Gate and extending up to the Schwaanschen Street, the city walls comprise an impressive section. This segment features built-in guard houses and even retains a portion of the original wooden wall-walk, showcasing the architectural ingenuity of the time.

A significant point of interest along this historic wall is the stone gatehouse, which marks the beginning of a journey along the city's fortifications. The Cow Gate is not only one of the oldest of the four remaining gates of the historic Rostock city fortifications but is also regarded as one of the oldest preserved city gates in Northern Germany. This early Gothic gate tower, which originally provided access to the road leading to Bützow and Werle, is first documented in historical records dating back to 1262. However, it soon relinquished its role as the city's primary southern exit gate to the more prominent stone gate.

The name "Kuhtor," or Cow Gate, carries with it a unique historical legacy. In later years, as the stone gate took on greater significance as the city's main exit, the Kuhtor was primarily used for guiding cattle to the lush meadows along the Warnow River, giving rise to its distinctive name.