City walls

Tallinn, Estonia is beautifully located on and around the Toompea (cathedral hill). A unique feature of the city are the remaining historical city walls and fortification towers. In medieval times 40 of these towers with red roofs existed and still today they shape the skyline of the city. A tour to the city walls typically starts at the castle with the town’s landmark – the Pikk Hermann (‘tall Hermann’) tower.

From there you can pass behind the Aleksander Nevski katedraal and see a good maintained section of the wall with the high cannon tower ‘Kiek in de Kök‘ (‘look in the kitchens’. From they viewing platform above the stairs leading to the Toompea (‘Patkuli trepp‘) you’ll have an excellent view on Vanalinn, the old city with different towers in front of the Oleviste kirik (St. Olav’s church).

The city walls of Tallinn are nearly completely still visible around the former old town. Beautiful sections to visit include the Viru gate in the east and the ‘fat margret’ tower (Paks Margareeta) with the Estonian Maritime Museum in the north close to the harbour. In 1997 the complete city center became an UNESCO world heritage site as a well-preserved example of a northern European trade city.

City walls
Tallinn
Estonia