This defensive tower is a part of the Staufer fortifications and was presumably established around 1160. The “Bolander” secured the southwest side of the Ingelheim palace and the “Rheingässer Tor.” An early pictorial representation of the hall area (name of the archaeological zone Kaiserpfalz Ingelheim since the early modern period) from the year 1545 by Sebastian Münster shows the original multi-storey tower with arrow slits and battlements (illustration in the museum at the Kaiserpfalz). The name “Bolander” is derived from the noble family of the Lords of Bolanden, who served as representatives of the kings in the Middle Rhine region during the 12th and 13th centuries and maintained a customs post in the local palace area until 1254.
Like many other wall and corner towers from the 12th to the 14th centuries, the defensive tower likely had a high entrance, which was accessible only from the outside via ladders for security reasons. The visible bricked-up opening in the defensive wall could also have served as such a high gate. The wall thickness of the tower is an impressive 3.2 meters. Its interior has a diameter of 2.8 meters and is no longer accessible today.
