of the most beautiful gates of Switzerland. The Sankt-Alban-Tor (Gate of Saint Alban) The Sankt-Johanns-Tor (Gate of Saint John). The Aeschentor (Aeschen Gate) was pulled down in 1861 along with three other gateways and the city walls. From the 14th century, it was the principal gate from Basel to Aesch. Inner gates The inner walls used to encircle the Great Basel (Gross Basel) on the west bank and Small Basel (Kleinbasel) on the east bank of the Rhine. All the inner gates and walls were demolished between 1860 and 1870: East bank Aeschenschwibbogen was a small gate near the east bank of the Birsig. Aesch is a village about south of Basel old town. (It is nowadays a suburb of the city.) A is a type of buttress, in the form of an arch which braces the structures on either side. Aeschenschwibbogen was first documented in 1261 as 'Eschmertor', in connection with a donation to Saint Urban's Abbey. Later names include 'Aeschentor' and 'Inneres Aeschentor'. Its original function became obsolete in the 14th century when the outer city wall was built, and that function was taken over by the Aeschentor in the outer wall. The upper half of the tower was removed in August 1545, after a crack in the masonry appeared. The gate is recorded as having been equipped with a clock from the middle of the 16th century. In August 1839, Rudolf Forcart-Hoffmann, a manufacturer of passementerie, petitioned the ('Lesser Council') of Basel that Aeschenschwibbogen should be demolished. He wanted to build a new house, , at the location. This would serve a double purpose: beautifying the city, and removing a bottleneck on an important traffic route. Permission was granted, and Aeschenschwibbogen was demolished in 1841. The Steinentor (Gate of Steinen) was pulled down in 1866 along with most of the city walls. The Rheintor (Rhine Gate) was pulled down in 1839, about twenty years before the other city walls. It was located at the Rhine bridge on the western river bank. West bank The Riehentor (Gate of Riehen) was pulled down in 1864. The Bläsitor (Gate of Saint Blaise) was pulled down in 1867. Other wall buildings The Thomasturm (Thomas Tower) was a watchtower just across the Sankt-Johanns-Tor. It was named after Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. Letziturm (Letzi Tower) consists of two closely spaced towers at the eastern end of the walls, near the Sankt-Alban-Tor. Rail