The Old Town of Tallinn is one of those places where the past is all around you, its red‑roofed skyline and narrow lanes transporting you straight back to the Middle Ages. One of the most striking reminders of this long history is the network of walls, walkways and towers that once enclosed the settlement. Although the city walls of Tallinn are not fully intact, enough remains for visitors to follow the circuit around the town, walk along ancient fortifications, and climb tall towers in search of panoramic views.
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The Medieval Defences Of Tallinn
Tallinn is one of Europe’s best preserved medieval towns, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city walls are a part of this story, with origins stretching back to 1265. At this point the area was controlled by the Danes, who built the first fortifications. These were gradually enlarged and extended during the 14th century. By the height of the Hanseatic period, Tallinn had become one of the best protected cities on the Baltic Sea, guarded by a formidable system of walls, defensive towers and gates.
These fortifications continued to evolve well into the early modern period. As artillery became more powerful, earth‑filled bastions were added in the 17th century, creating a complex defensive system that combined medieval stonework with contemporary military engineering. Much of this later work survives in the form of grassy ramparts and underground tunnels.
What Remains Of The Tallinn City Walls?
Although the walls no longer form a complete ring, a remarkable portion survives. Nearly two kilometres of ramparts and around twenty towers still stand today. Starting from the Viru Gate, the fairy‑tale entrance that greets visitors to the Old Town, you can trace the line of the fortifications right around the town.
From the Viru Gate, the sequence of towers is as follows: Hellemann; Tower behind Monks; Bremen; Hattorpe; Stoltingi; Fat Margaret (Great Coastal Gate); Grusbreke; Eppinge; Plate; Koismae; Loewenschede; Tower behind Nuns; Kuldjala; Sauna; Pikk Jalg (Long Leg Gate); Lühike Jalg (Gate Tower); Tallitorn; Neitsitorn (Maiden Tower); Kiek in de Kök; Assauwe; Hinke. Many of these towers are connected by long stretches of wall, while others stand alone or are partially hidden behind later buildings.
In addition to the towers, Tallinn retains several of the bastions, or earthwork defences, that were built in the 17th and 18th centuries. These include the Musumägi Bastion (beside the Viru Gate), the Skoone Bastion near Fat Margaret, and the bastion passages beneath Kiek in de Kök.
Walking The Walls
One of the pleasures of exploring Tallinn’s Old Town is that you can encounter the remains of the walls almost everywhere. Some stretches run alongside busy city streets, while others hide behind courtyards or appear unexpectedly between modern buildings. A few of the towers and wall sections are open to visitors, affording a chance to explore the fortifications and to climb up to rooftop vantage points.
Note that there is an entrance fee for the various walkways (free with a Tallinn Card). They may be closed on some days during the winter months: check opening times before you go.
Viru Gate
I recommend starting your walk at the Viru Gate and following the walls in an anticlockwise direction. The Viru Gate itself, with its twin towers and storybook appearance, is one of the main entrances to the Old Town. However it is not actually on the city wall as historically there was a second set of towers a little further along (now demolished).
To find the wall you will need to walk up to Müürivahe and turn right.
Hellemann Tower Walkway
Your walls walk begins near the Hellemann Tower. Here you will find one of the longest surviving stretches of the wall, and your first opportunity to walk along the ramparts. Visitors can follow the walkway between Hellemann and Munkadetagune (Tower behind Monks), and climb the winding staircases inside both towers. You will be rewarded with views across the rooftops of the Old Town of Tallinn.
Follow the road past Bremen, Hattorpe and Stoltingi (not much to be seen of the last two) until you reach Fat Margaret.
Fat Margaret
Fat Margaret – the huge round stronghold guarding the Great Coastal Gate – would have been an impressive first sight for anyone approaching Tallinn from the harbour, and even now it dominates the northern edge of the Old Town. Its function was primarily military, its thick walls and wide diameter designed to withstand attack by cannons.
Today it houses the Estonian Maritime Museum.
Towers Square
From here follow the narrow cobbled street known as Lai, which leads you to Laboratooriumi tn, a whole street full of towers. You will eventually reach Towers Square, an open area on the outside of the walls. This is one of the best places to appreciate Tallinn’s medieval defences, with sweeping views of several towers lined up in a row.
The scale of the fortifications really becomes clear here, and it’s also one of the easiest places to walk right up to the walls and see how they were constructed.
Nunna Tower Walkway
Re-enter the city through the Monastery Gate to reach Sauna Tower. Here you have your next chance to explore inside the fortifications. This walkway features a long stretch of wall, three towers to climb (Sauna, Kuldjala and Nunnadetagune), and steep spiral steps leading to panoramic views of the medieval city.
Kiek In De Kök
Further along the route, at the base of Toompea Hill, stands the cluster of towers that includes the Gate Tower, Tallitorn, Neitsitorn, and the imposing Kiek in de Kök Tower, one of the most impressive in the city.
Once more, there is a walkway between the towers and lots to explore. Inside Kiek in de Kök is the Fortifications Museum, with exhibitions on Tallinn’s military history and lots of information about the city’s walls and towers, and the evolution of its defences.
Bastion Passages
You can buy a combined ticket for Kiek In de Kök and access to the bastion passages. These were underground tunnels built in conjunction with the bastions in the 17th and 18th centuries. They were later used as air‑raid shelters during the Second World War.
As you walk through the passages you will see information about their wartime use, before coming to a small Museum of Carved Stone (Raidkivimuuseum). When you emerge walk down the hill to Müürivahe where you will find your last long stretch of wall and the Assauwe Tower. From here complete your circuit back to the Viru Gate, passing Hinke (the final turret, its top just visible above a shop).
Other Fortifications In Tallinn
The hill of Toompea rises above the Old Town. This has been the seat of power for centuries, home to the castle, cathedral and administrative buildings. The Toompea citadel forms a separate defensive complex, historically distinct from the city below.
At the southern end of the Governor’s Garden stands Pikk Hermann (also known as Tall Hermann), a lofty structure that forms part of Toompea Castle. This tower has long symbolised political authority in Estonia, and today the national flag flies from its summit. From the garden, you can look up at Tall Hermann’s impressive height and appreciate its strategic position overlooking the city.
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This article is also featured on GPSmyCity. To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in Tallinn.
