The Gate of Spalen (Spalentor) is a former city gate in the ancient city walls of Basel. One of the three remaining gateways, it is regarded as one of the most beautiful gates of Switzerland.
In October 1356, a major earthquake destroyed the old Basel. Then local people surrounded their newly built city with a high city wall and a moat in front of it. The ring wall had over 40 towers and seven of them were gate towers like the Spalentor (completed in 1473-74).
References:House of the Blackheads (Melngalvju nams) is a building situated in the old town of Riga. The original building was erected during the first third of the 14th century for the Brotherhood of Blackheads, a guild for unmarried German merchants in Riga. Major works were done in the years 1580 and 1886, adding most of the ornaments.
The structure was bombed to a ruin by the Germans June 28, 1941 and the remains demolished by the Soviets in 1948. The current reconstruction was erected from 1995 to 1999. Today the House of Blackheads serves as a museum and sometimes concert hall.