The Ponttor was constructed as a right-angled three-stock tower castle. In the main entrance, there is a Portcullis as well as a machicolation, through which things could be dropped on invading forces. A bridge passage with crenelations spanned a moat and was strengthened in the foregate with two reinforced towers (barbicans). The building material was Devonian sandstone, Pennsylvanian carbonite sandstone and quartzite, with the framing material made of light bluestone.^[1]

Though it is true that Aachen has many rivers and streams that pass through it, none are in the vicinity of the Ponttor, the name for which is assumed to come from the Latin word "pons", meaning bridge. However, before the gate was named, the area of the city (as well as the area's main street) already carried this appellation, and thus the city gate is simply named for the area around it. The neighborhood received the name because of a bridge, as during Ancient Roman times, a fortification existed on what is today known as the Annuntiaten stream. Beyond this area lay extensive swamps, and to exit the settlement, one would have to cross a bridge. Later settlements that were built in the area beyond the fortification were said to be beyond the bridge, and from this, the area, street, and city gate all got their names.

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  Inner city side (south)
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  Outer city side (north)
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  View from the east
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  Forecastle, view from the east
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  approach along the former wall in the south east

• Bruno Lerho (2006). Die große Aachener Stadtmauer mit Toren und Türmen. Aachen: Helios Verlag. ISBN 3-938208-37-6.
• C. Rhoen (1894). Die Befestigungswerke der freien Reichsstadt Aachen. Aachen: Verlag von Anton Creutzer. (Online-Version, pdf, 6.61MB).

• Informative article on the history and interior of the Ponttor

50°46′53.50″N 06°04′42″E / 50.7815278°N 6.07833°E / 50.7815278; 6.07833