Walls of Tallinn

The Walls of Tallinn are the medieval defensive walls constructed around the city of Tallinn in Estonia.

Walls of Tallinn (Tallinn City Wall)
Native name
Estonian: Tallinna linnamüür
Tallinn City Wall
LocationTallinn, Estonia
Founded13th century
Built forDefense for the City of Tallinn
Architectural style(s)Medieval city wall
Official nameHistoric Centre (Old Town) of Tallinn
TypeCultural
Criteriaii, iv
Designated1997 (21st session)
Reference no.822
Europe and North America
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/822

History

The first wall around Tallinn was ordered to be constructed by Margaret Sambiria in 1265 and for that reason, it was known as the Margaret Wall. This wall was less than 5 metres (16 ft) tall and about 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) thick at its base.[1] Since that time it has been enlarged and strengthened. The walls and the many gates are still largely extant today. This is one of the reasons that Tallinn's old town became a World Heritage Site. The walls were enlarged in the fourteenth century, and citizens of Tallinn were required to turn out for guard duty, which meant to wear their armour and demonstrate their readiness to face off invaders.[2]

Objects in the city wall

Name Image Notes Location Coordinates
Long Leg Gate Tower
(Pika jala väravatorn)
Pikk jalg59°26′15.87″N 24°44′34.33″E
Tower behind Almshouse
(Seegitagune torn)
destroyedNunne
Tower behind Sauna
(Saunatagune torn)
partially extantNunne 9
Nun's Gate
(Nunnavärav)
Demolished in 1868.Nunne
Nun's Tower
(Nunnatorn)
Väike-Kloostri 159°26′21.41″N 24°44′32.55″E
Monastery Gate
(Kloostrivärav)
end of 19th centurySuur-Kloostri59°26′22.01″N 24°44′32.51″E
Sauna Tower
(Saunatorn)
Suur-Kloostri 1859°26′22.63″N 24°44′32.49″E
Golden Leg Tower
(Kuldjala torn)
Gümnaasiumi 359°26′24.11″N 24°44′33.25″E
Tower behind Nuns
(Nunnadetagune torn)
Kooli 1/359°26′25.39″N 24°44′34.27″E
Loewenschede Tower
(Loewenschede torn)
Kooli 759°26′26.18″N 24°44′35.99″E
Lippe Tower
(Lippe torn)
destroyedKooli 9
passage beside Lippe TowerBuilt 1933Laboratooriumi 2159°26′26.5″N 24°44′38.85″E
Rope Hill Tower
(Köismäe torn)
Laboratooriumi 2759°26′27.4″N 24°44′41.67″E
breakthrough of Suurtüki street19th centurySuurtüki59°26′28.24″N 24°44′43.48″E
Plate Tower
(Plate torn)
Laboratooriumi 2959°26′28.63″N 24°44′43.98″E
Epping Tower
(Eppingi torn)
Laboratooriumi 3159°26′29.82″N 24°44′46.2″E
Tower behind Grusbeke
(Grusbeke-tagune torn)
Laboratooriumi 3359°26′31.22″N 24°44′48.62″E
Renten Tower
(Renteni torn)
lower part extant inside a later buildingLai 49
Tower behind Wulfard
(Wulfardi-tagune torn)
lower part extantTolli 459°26′32.3″N 24°44′53.97″E}
Great Coastal Gate
(Suur Rannavärav)
Pikk 7059°26′33.23″N 24°44′57.44″E
Fat Margaret
(Paks Margareeta)
Pikk 7059°26′33.3″N 24°44′58.72″E
Stolting Tower
(Stoltingi torn)
Pikk 6859°26′31.78″N 24°44′58.62″E}
Tower behind Hattorpe
(Hattorpe-tagune torn)
Pikk 6259°26′29.5″N 24°44′57.6″E
tower near the former Russian churchdestroyedSulevimägi
Small Coastal Gate
(Väike Rannavärav)
destroyed
Bremen Tower
(Bremeni torn)
Vene 2859°26′21.86″N 24°44′57″E
Bremen Passage
(Bremeni käik)
19th centuryBremeni käik59°26′21.54″N 24°44′57.15″E
Tower behind Monks
(Munkadetagune torn)
Müürivahe 5859°26′18.46″N 24°44′58.89″E
Helleman Tower
(Hellemani torn)
Müürivahe 48 / Uus 159°26′15.15″N 24°44′59.82″E
Viru Gate
(Viru värav)
Viru59°26′11.87″N 24°45′1.31″E
Hinke Tower
(Hinke torn)
Pärnu mnt 2 / Müürivahe 3259°26′9.55″N 24°44′57.98″E
Düvelsmoder Tower / Devil's Mother's Tower
(Düvelsmoderi torn / Kuradiema torn)
demolished in 1882Väike-Karja/Müürivahe
Lurenburg Artillery Tower
(Lurenburgi suurtükitorn)
Built 1538–1554, demolished in 1767 during the expansion of the bastion systems.Pärnu mnt 7
Cattle Gate
(Karjavärav)
Built 1456, demolished in 1849 to widen the streets. Was used to transport cattle between the city and pastures.
Assauwe Tower
(Assauwe torn)
Müürivahe 1259°26′5.61″N 24°44′43.33″E
Harju Gate
(Harju värav)

The main gate after the demolition of the front gates.
Mentioned in 1361, 1448–1453 the second front gate was built. In 1862 the front gates were demolished and in 1875 the main gate.Harju59°26′4.74″N 24°44′37.53″E
Goat Tower
(Kitsetorn)
Rüütli
Kiek in de KökKomandandi tee 259°26′5.14″N 24°44′29″E
Maiden's Tower
(Neitsitorn)
Lossi plats 11 / Lühike jalg 9A59°26′6.8″N 24°44′27.51″E
Stable Tower
(Tallitorn)
Lossi plats 11 / Lühike jalg 9A59°26′8.43″N 24°44′26.91″E
breakthrough from Toompea to Danish King's GardenLühike jalg59°26′8.9″N 24°44′27.14″E
Short Leg Gate Tower
(Lühikese jala väravatorn)
Lühike jalg 959°26′10.01″N 24°44′28.15″E
Dome Gate
(Toomvärav)
demolished in 1860.

Notes

  1. Andriy Ksenofontov, = Wall Street ... Estonian Times, 15 August 2002
  2. Bousfield, Jonathon (2011). The Rough Guide to Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania p.71. p. 392. ISBN 9781848368880.
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