The Emperor Tower (Kajsartornet in Swedish) is the oldest wall tower contemporary with the construction of the wall. Its name is known since 1750, but may be older, and refers to the Swedish word for Emperor (kejsare). The tower was originally higher, rising to at least five storeys and partly roofed with cross-vaulting. It has no arrowslits but there are window openings. The original round-arched entrance to the ground floor is still visible in the west facade. The top floor was most likely open on the town-side and had a gallery for archers. The tower seems to have been used as a storage and as a defense tower. With its 2.6 meters thick walls and unusual height, it was the strongest tower in the eastern part of the wall and equal to The Gunpowder Tower (https://reveal.world/story/the-gunpowder-tower) in the west. It may have served as the town's central weapons storage. 

Between the end of the 17th century and mid-19th century the tower was used as a prison. Its doors date from that period. The alleged witch Brita Biörn was imprisoned there in 1738. In 1782 a purpose-built county prison was erected south of the tower, as this one was considered too primitive and small at that time when more humanistic ideas of penal organization began to spread. The county prison was connected to the tower, and it was demolished in 1886. Traces of it can still be seen on the town side of the wall.

Photo: W.carter