The Schwabentor Gate is part of the city's medieval defensive wall. The gate tower was built around 1250 and was originally open towards the inner city and was surrounded by a stone wall only in 1547. Matthias Schwäri in 1572 painted a portrait of a merchant with a chariot on the inner wall. This image in the 19th century gave rise to a legend about a Swabian man who came to Freiburg with two barrels full of gold to buy the city. People laughed at him especially after it was found that the barrels contain only sand and gravel. Legend has it that before his departure his wife had secretly exchanged gold for a worthless filling.