Harju Gate - Tallinn, Estonia
Posted by: 
Metro2
N 59° 26.060 E 024° 44.712
35V E 372107 N 6590584
The remains of the Harju Gates can be seen by the Monument to the War of Independence.
Tallinn's Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Waymark Code: WMFFB1
Location: Estonia
Date Posted: 10/10/2012
Views: 19
As one walks up to visit the War of Independence Victory Column in Tallinn's Old Town Freedom Square, the remains of the city's fortifications can be seen along the sides. One of the old city's gates was located near this site....and the remains are visible in an excavagated ditch in the Square. The "ditch" is covered by heavy glass...and one can stand atop the glass cover and view the 14th century gates. A sign at the site indicates that the date of the gates in unknown...but the first known mention of them was made in 1355. The gates were closed in the 16th century as fortifications were then modernized. It was reopened in 1767 with the main tower being demolished in 1875. These remains were put on display when Freedom Square was renovated in 2009.
This odd website (
visit link) , partially in Estonian and partially in English provides some additional information if one is willing to wade through the strange text:
"Harju Gate
*As harju street was called Blacksmiths street in the MAs(many smithies in the neigbourhood), the gate too had the same name-Blacksmith’s Gate
*It was 1st mentioned in 1361(chronicles)
*the 5 storey main tower,no longer preserved, was 21 m high.
It had 4defence gates,5difence towers,a watermill and artificial lake.
*The gate was closed when a rampart was built in the 1530s
*was demolished in 1875
*City Gallerty is standing at the place of the former watermill
*In 1535 J von Üxküll was excecuted between the main and the foregate(because he had tortured and killed his serf matis,who had escaped to the town
Rüütli Street
*Got its name from the house that belonged Virumaa ordu komtuurile
*On that street was also towns workyard ..."