A Letzi (plural: Letzinen, also known in German as a Talsperre in the sense of a fortification, not a dam) or Letzimauer refers to defensive barriers whose purpose is to protect the entrance into a valley. The term is Swiss, and such stone barriers were particularly common in medieval Switzerland but were also built in Austria and Germany.
Location
Letzis usually consisted of: hill castles on the valley sides or on heights either side of the valley defensive walls, often in combination with other bastions, running transversely across the valley in order to seal it completely. Because these parts of the position were typically unable to use the advantage of height, they had some of the character of lowland castles. Because they had a combination of elements of hill and lowland castles, letzis did not fall neatly into either category.
The walls were often several kilometres long, for example in Rothenthurm SZ, and were often combined with ditches.
Such defensive valley barriers were still being built in the 19th century, for example the Forte della Chiusa and Buco di Vela.
Purpose
Researchers have not been united in all respects about whether these fortifications actually served as protective lines of defence or whether, in most cases, they were just intended as border marcations and defence against cattle thieves.
What is certain is the Letzis were used to force merchants to adhere to specified routes (Straßenzwang) and thus to enable the collection of customs duties (Wegzoll) and money to pay for the maintenance of the roads.
Examples with hill castles
Castles of Bellinzona, Ticino
Castelmur Castle, Grisons
Ehrenberg Castle, Tyrol
Fernstein Castle, Tyrol
Fracstein Castle, Grisons
Klamm Castle (Lower Austria) above Schottwien
Mauterndorf Castle, Salzburg
Schlossberg Castle (Seefeld in Tirol) Castle ruins in the Mühlbacher Klause, South Tyrol Hohenwerfen Fortress, Salzburg Fortini della Fame, Ticino Karlsfried, Saxony La Serra, Zernez, Grisons Letzi and ruins of Mülenen Castle, Berne Serravalle, Ticino Schloß-Nauses Castle, Hesse
Free-standing examples
Hadnmauer (a letzi near Rattendorf in the Gailtal valley, which presumably guarded Gurina) Landmauer Gamsen, Wallis Letzis of Arth and Oberarth, Schwyz Letzimauer in Näfels, Glarus Letzimauer in Rothenthurm, Schwyz Letzi Tower, Basel Letzi Tower in Morgarten, Schwyz Porta Claudia, Tyrol Türkenschanze, Carinthia Hardturm, Zurich
Name
The Swiss German word, Letzi, comes from the Middle High German "letze", i. e. a barrier, obstacle, defensive wall or border fortification. Even today many toponyms include the words Letzinen, Letzimauern or Letzitürme. Remains of such defensive fortifications may still be seen in many places today.
Examples of Letzi in place names: Letzigasse in Zofingen Letzigraben and Letzistrasse in Zürich Letzigrund Stadium in Zürich
References
External links
Neue Zürcher Zeitung (14 July 2012): Eine chinesische Mauer in Schwyz?