Nördlingen's first city wall potentially dated to 1246

Archaeologists in Nördlingen, Germany, have potentially identified the construction date of the city’s first fortification, known as the ‘Staufermauer’. During construction work on Baldinger Straße, researchers discovered remnants of the old city wall alongside an oak pile.

Dendrochronological analysis conducted by Dr. Johann Friedrich Tolksdorf at the Bavarian State Office for Monument Preservation (BLfD) dated the oak wood to the year 1246. This suggests the wall was likely constructed shortly after that date.

The preservation of the wood was made possible by the high soil moisture in the Egerniederung area, which prevented oxygen from reaching the timber and causing decay. Archaeologist Dr. Manfred Woidich and his team recovered the artifacts by hand to ensure the fragile wood remained intact.