The barbican of Viru Gate was part of the defence system of the Tallinn city wall built in the 14th century.
A couple of centuries later, it already had 8 gates that consisted of several towers and curtain walls connecting them. The main tower of a gate was always square and the barbicans were equipped with one or two small round towers.
As the entrances to the Old Town were widened, several gates were demolished. The Viru Gate had to pay its dues to a horse-drawn tram route that connected the Old Market with Kadriorg.
However, the corner towers were preserved. Also, you can still see a part of the bastion that is called Musumägi. Viru Street with its many shops and restaurants has become one of the busiest pedestrian streets in the Old Town.
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We visited the Viru gates a couple of times whilst on our 48hr trip to Tallinn as it is a pretty crazy tram spot for walking around. The gates are very well preserved and give an interesting thought... Read more comments
This is the main gateway into the old town from the new town. The street is lined with flower stalls frequent by locals. One of the best spots to take in the sunset view.
During our Baltic trip we spent a week in Tallinn in hotel closed to old town and everyday our visit of this beautiful place was started by moving between these two beautiful old towers, which... Read more comments