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The Maiden Tower (Polish: Baszta Panieńska; German: Frauenturm), also known as the Tower of Seven Coats (Polish: Baszta Siedmiu Płaszczy; German: Siebenmantelturm) is a historic Gothic defensive tower in Szczecin, Poland. It is located at 47 Panieńska Street in the in the administrative neighbourhood of the Old Town.

History

The two-storey tower was constructed as part of the city fortifications, sometime before 1462. It was used to guard the nearby Maiden Gate (Polish: Brama Panieńska; German: Frauentor), which is how thr tower got its name. It in turn was named as such, as a street crossing it lead to the female Cisterian monastery. The tower was financed by the local tailors, who ste belive to also serve in its defence during attacks. As such it also became alternativly known as the Tower of Seven Coats. Until 1723, it was used as a prison for people sentenced to executions.

It was the only tower that was not deconstructed together with the rest of old city fortifications between 1724 and 1740. With time, it became surrounded by tenement houses, and became being used as a storage unit. Sometime at the turn of 20th century, probably corresponding to the decommission of the city fortresses, the upper portion of the tower was deconstructed. On its base was constructed an octagonal tenement building. It survived until 1944, when it was destroyed during a carpet bombing raid, together with most of the Old Town. In 1954, the tower was given the status of a protected cultural property. The remaining rubble was cleaned upbin 1956, and the building was reconstructed between 1961 and 1964.