Viru Gate and Tallinn Town Wall

The Viru Gate and the adjoining stretch of Tallinn Town Wall form the eastern entrance to the Old Town in Tallinn, Estonia, at the junction of Viru and Müürivahe streets. Tallinn's lower town was enclosed by a limestone wall begun in the 13th century and extended and heightened in the 14th to 16th centuries as artillery and sieges changed the demands on defence. At its fullest the circuit ran for roughly two kilometres and carried dozens of towers; about 1.9 kilometres of wall and a number of towers survive today. The Viru Gate was one of the main land entrances to the city. It was a complex of two round towers, an outer gate and a forward fortified gatehouse called the Vorburg. Most of the outer work was demolished in the 19th century to ease traffic and city growth, leaving the two round towers flanking the street, which have become the iconic image of the Old Town entrance. Along nearby Müürivahe street, a stretch of wall is lined with stalls selling knitwear and handicrafts, and wall towers such as Nunne, Sauna and Kuldjala can be seen along the walk. Some towers and a covered wall walk are open to visitors in summer, and the walkway provides views over rooftops and the lower town. Several towers were adapted for other uses over the centuries, including as storage, workshops and houses. Conservation work over the 20th century repaired many sections of wall, and the heritage status of the Old Town now protects the fortifications. The Viru Gate area is also where the city meets the modern centre, with shopping streets and the Viru Keskus complex just outside, so it is a convenient starting point for a walking tour.