Viru Gate, Tallinn - Estonia

Anne sent me a great card, no doubt about that, but one of the 1st things I noticed was the price of the stamp, 2.60€!!! No wonder I hardly get cards from Estonia.

 

Photo: Valeri Sepp

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. - in: https://www.visitestonia.com