The town walls

The town walls in Choszczno were built in the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries. To this day, only fragments of the walls have survived. The walls were made of stone and brick, and their length was 1600 metres. They were reinforced by the system of embankments and moats. The northern side was protected by wetlands.

The town fortifications had three gates, seven towers and 36 hides. The gates were located at the main entrances to the town. The western one was Brama Kamienna [the Stone Gate] (the exit towards Barlinek and Myslibórz). The south-eastern one was Brama Wysoka [the High Gate] (the exit towards Dobiegniew). Brama Młyńska [the Mill Gate] was the northern one (the exit towards Stargard).

In the first half of the eighteenth century, it was decided to demolish the defence system. The three gates were demolished, the moats were filled and the embankments were levelled. Then came the idea to transform the area into a recreation area. In the area next to the western and southern walls, a park (now Moniuszko Park), as well as recreation and sports grounds were created. On the southern embankment, along Piastowska Street, a promenade, which is now called Wały Piastowskie [the Piast Embankments] was made. 

To this day, only small fragments of the medieval town walls have survived. There still exist a large part of the northern wall and small parts of the southern and western walls. A circular structure - the roundel of the forearm of Brama Kamienna, i.e. the Barbican, was left out of the demolished gates. To this day, its loopholes and the frieze of black bricks have survived. The Barbican is located at the corner of Piastowska Street and Wolności Street, it is the seat of the Town Council.