Tallinn’s City Walls

The ramparts of Tallinn

The ramparts of Tallinn are invaluable fragments of the medieval character of the town, among the best preserved of Northern Europe. The Tallinn audio-guided tour stops here to evoke these powerful walls and their towers, which surrounded the Hanseatic town.

The medieval walls of the town

Present on several portions of the old town, the ramparts are invaluable fragments of the medieval character of Tallinn. Built and reinforced over the Middle Ages to protect the prosperous and merchant town, they counted formerly among the most powerful defensive systems of the region: a long stone wall, thick and high, punctuated by numerous round towers topped with pointed cone-shaped roofs. Tallinn was thus entirely surrounded, its lower town as its upper town of Toompea each having their own fortifications. Still today, a large part of these ramparts survives, which makes Tallinn one of the best preserved and best fortified medieval towns of Northern Europe. You can walk along the walls, admire the picturesque alignment of the towers, and sometimes climb on the wall-walks or in the towers to discover the other side of the scenery and enjoy fine views over the roofs of the town. These fortifications confer on Tallinn all its atmosphere of an enclosed town, out of time. Fortified vestiges and witnesses of the Middle Ages, the ramparts of Tallinn are a must-see stop of the discovery of the town.

What to see

Here you walk along the powerful medieval walls of Tallinn, invaluable fragments punctuated by numerous round towers topped with pointed cone roofs, which surrounded the Hanseatic town, lower town as upper town; largely preserved, they make Tallinn one of the best fortified towns of Northern Europe and you can climb on some wall-walks for fine views. The ramparts of Tallinn are a witness of the Middle Ages. It is a must-see stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The ramparts of Tallinn surround the old town on several portions, reachable on foot. You walk along them freely from outside; the climb on some wall-walks and in the towers follows its own hours and conditions, which vary. It is best to check them before coming.

Why are the ramparts of Tallinn remarkable?

Because they count among the best preserved of Northern Europe: built in the Middle Ages to protect the Hanseatic town, these powerful walls punctuated by numerous round towers topped with cone roofs surrounded the lower town and the upper town, and make Tallinn one of the best fortified medieval towns of the continent.

Where are the ramparts of Tallinn?

Around the old town of Tallinn, on several portions, in Estonia.