iCyclades - Cyclades Discovery Guide

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Here is the footbridge that will take us to the heart of the fortress... Let's go!

The church square starts here and extends behind the building. It is mainly occupied by car parks and we did not go there to take pictures.

It is like being in Lord of the Rings or some Hollywood blockbuster. The lighting comes mainly from skylights in the fortress platform, far above our heads... But this is not a film, it is a dive into a real 16th century universe...

Walking through this enormous cavern, one understands why it took no less than twenty-five years to build this impressive fortress.

In the tower to the south of the fortress, a spiral staircase leads up to the platform, which offers impressive views of the city and the Rhine.

Entering through the south door, you are immediately immersed in the mysterious atmosphere of the fortress. What lies behind this locked door? Probably the entrance to the roundabout way, along the long wall that runs almost down to the Rhine.

The large platform at the top of the spiral staircase of the tower is one of the freely accessible areas of the fortress. The rest can only be discovered on request from the Munot's caretaker on guided tours.

Cross this small square, climb the stairs and you will arrive at the foot of the vineyards that cover the south of the Munot hill.

Here we are at the bottom of the stairs that climb through the vineyards to the fortress of Munot. You can also go up by less steep paths but this is the most spectacular approach to the fortress.

After many years of discussion and planning, the councillors decided in 1563 to build the fortress. The work lasted until 1589, and in the meantime, advances in artillery led to the development of bastioned fortifications and made this type of fort obsolete. It was never used, except to affirm the prestige of the city.

The Munot vineyards, which belong to the town, cover 7,600 m2 and produce 5,000 to 7,000 litres of "Munötler" every year. 4900 m2 are planted with pinot noir and 2700 m2 with pinot gris. The wines of Schaffhausen are excellent, so don't miss the chance to taste them!

The Römerstieg ("Climb of the Romans") leads to Munotstrasse near the footbridge to the fortress. Good to know: after passing a sports field, the Munotstrasse leads to a large car park.

A last look at the wall before entering the heart of the fortress... A strange world awaits us just a few steps away...

At the top of the Munot Tower is a 420kg bell which was cast and installed at the end of the 16th century. It was repaired in 2002 and since then the Munot's caretaker has been ringing it by hand for 5 minutes every evening at 9pm, as has been the custom since 1589.

Our virtual stroll begins on the path leading up to the fortress from Fischerhäuserstrasse (Fishermen's Houses Street), a stone's throw from the Rhine and the landing stage of the boats that offer cruises on the river to Lake Constance.

Around this fortress, which looks like a monstrous wedding cake, you will see fallow deer grazing peacefully at the foot of the thick walls.

The small buildings built at the foot of the walls are caponiers intended to allow the defenders to reach the bottom of the ditches by low fire from cannons or crossbows.

There are few openings in the wall. When it was built, the massive fortress was designed with walls capable of withstanding a rapidly advancing artillery technique, and any further openings weakened the structure.

The fortress was of course also intended to demonstrate the prestige and power of the city-state, which had joined the Swiss Confederation in 1501, having been under Habsburg rule but having regained its independence in 1415 by buying its freedom from the Austrian Empire.

After the steep climb through the vineyards, we arrive at the southern gate of the fortress, which can be visited free of charge from 1 May to 30 September from 8am to 8pm and from 1 October to 30 April from 9am to 5pm.

This Gothic church was built in the 13th century on the site of a Romanesque church that probably dates back to the 11th century. It has undergone many transformations over the centuries and, at the Reformation, it became a Protestant church. Completely renovated from 1983 to 1990 with the addition of a concert stage, it hosts the annual "Bachfest", a renowned international Bach festival.

The William Tell Fountain, the symbol of the freedom-loving Swiss, dates from 1522, with an octagonal basin dating from 1632. The pillar and statue, however, are copies of the originals.

The Unterstadt leads to Bachstrasse, a major thoroughfare in the city. Cross the street and take the Vordergasse to continue your walk through the old town and discover the Schaffhausen oriels.

Here we are looking towards the western end of the Unterstadt, which leads into the main axis of the Bachstrasse and then continues with the Vordergasse through the old town. On our right is the small square from which the climb to the Munot fortress starts.

On both sides of the tower, the Munot platform offers impressive views of the city, the Rhine and the Schaffhausen hinterland.

During our visit in September 2021, the beginning of the Vordergasse was not very attractive. But in the distance, a beautiful turret encouraged us to continue shooting...

As in all the old towns in Switzerland, it is always worthwhile to take a walk with your nose in the air to observe the architecture of the old houses.

Oriels are these corbelled windows that protrude from facades, an architectural device that has become popular in Germanic countries since the Renaissance. Schaffhausen is proud to have 171 oriels in its old town!

Here we are in one of the pedestrian streets of the old town, where you can see some of the city's many oriels. Oriels are corbelled windows that protrude from facades, an architectural device that has become popular in Germanic countries since the Renaissance. Schaffhausen is proud to have 171 oriels in its old town!

Since 1991, Schaffhausen's weekly market has been held on the Vordergasse, on Tuesdays from 7am to 11am and on Saturdays from 7am to midday. This market for local products has existed at least since the 19th century, but was previously held on other squares.

Our virtual stroll will end with a short tour of the church. For now, we have only made a brief foray into the old town and we will return one day or another to show you more!