Remnants of medieval tower found in Breda

The remnants of a medieval tower were discovered in Breda on Tuesday during excavation for the redevelopment of the Vlaszak, the city announced. The remarkable discovery confirms speculations that a “rampart tower” stood at the location, the municipality said.

Municipal archeologists have thought since 2015 that a tower may have stood on this location, and that has now been confirmed. Only the foundation of the tower remains, making it hard to say exactly how high it was or whether it was completely circular or only semi-circular. A semi-circle of medieval bricks became visible during the work, approximately 60 centimeters below street level. The tower has now again been buried under a thick layer of sand, the city said.

“Breda was given a rampart around the city in the 13th century. A city wall was built against it in the middle of the 14th century,” the municipality said. “It is remarkable that the tower stood in the rampart, on top of the natural soil and therefore on the inside of the city. The tower therefore most likely belongs to the oldest phase of the 13th-century rampart and not to the 14th-century wall.”

Breda is in the process of completely redesigning the Vlaszak, making it greener and improving the connection to the city center with less traffic pressure and more traffic safety. The city also wants to restore the area’s historical character. Work started in June 2024 and should conclude in March.