Kiek in de Kök & Bastion Passages
Kiek in de Kök ja bastionikäigud
A six-storey southern tower of the Old Town, converted into a defence museum. Visitors can enter the 17th-century underground bastion passages.
"Kiek in de Kök" is Low German for "peek into the kitchen". Legend has it that the garrison could see into the kitchens of the Lower Town homes from the top of the tower. Built in the 15th century, the tower is about 38 metres tall and has walls 4 metres thick, and a few old cannonballs are still set into its exterior. Six floors display the development of Tallinn's city defences, firearms and medieval punishments. Beneath the tower, the bastion passages were built by the Swedes in the 17th and 18th centuries. They were used as air-raid shelters during the Second World War and, toward the end of the Soviet period, were home to vagrants and punks. Visits now require following a guided tour, which takes about one hour and must be booked in advance. The nearby Maiden's Tower and Stable Tower can also be visited on a combined ticket. Entry costs about 10 to 15 euros (check the official website), and most venues close more often on Mondays. It is a two-minute walk from Freedom Square.
Opening hours
Tue–Sun, approx. 10:00–18:00; guided tours must be booked in advance
Nearby sights
- St. Nicholas' Church (Niguliste Museum)
- Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
- Toompea
- Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom
- Kohtuotsa & Patkuli Viewing Platforms
- St. Mary's Cathedral (Toomkirik)
- Town Hall Square & Tallinn Town Hall
- Great Guild Hall (Estonian History Museum)