A Letzi (plural: Letzinen, also known in
German as a Talsperre in the sense of a fortification, not a dam[1]) 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.[2][3][4]
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.[3]
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.[5]
The Swiss German word, Letzi, comes from the
Middle High German "letze", i. e. a barrier, obstacle, defensive wall or border fortification.[9] Even today many
toponyms include the words Letzinen, Letzimauern or Letzitürme. Remains of such defensive fortifications may still be seen in many places today.
^Jakob Obrecht (2000), Historischer Verein des Kantons Schwyz (ed.), "Archäologische Sondiergrabungen an der Letzimauer Rothenthurm, 1999", Mitteilungen des Historischen Vereins des Kantons Schwyz (in German), vol. Band 92, pp. 11–32
^Matthias Dürst.
"Der Letzigraben". Gang dur Alt-Züri (in German). Retrieved 2012-07-16.
^Thomas Kühtreiber (2012), Kornelia Holzner-Tobisch; Thomas Kühtreiber; Gertrud Blaschitz (eds.),
"Straße und Burg. Anmerkungen zu einem vielschichtigen Verhältnis", Die Vielschichtigkeit der Straße. Kontinuität und Wandel in Mittelalter und früher Neuzeit, Veröffentlichungen des Instituts für Realienkunde des Mittelalters und der frühen Neuzeit (in German), vol. 22, Wien, pp. 263–301
^"Marienpilgerweg". Marienpilgerweg.at (in German). Retrieved 2016-10-19.
^"Jenig". Jenig.at (in German). Retrieved 2016-10-19.