Red Tower

Pärnu, Estonia

The Red Tower (which is actually white) is the only defence tower left from medieval Hanseatic city of New-Pärnu. It is the oldest city’s architectural monument and was used as the prison. According to the chronics, in 14th century Pärnu was encircled by a fortified wall with many towers: the round Viliand Tower, also know as the White Tower, in the north-eastern corner and Red Tower in the south-eastern corner. There may have been also the Holy Spirit’s Tower. After a well-needed reconstruction in 1893 it acquired its current look.

The tower got it's name by the red lining covering both its inside and outside. In 1624, the tower had four floors and a six meter deep prison floor. Three floors been preserved. Red Tower was restored in 1973-1980 without it's original brick lining.

References: Visit Pärnu, Meeting.lv

Comments

Your name



Address

Hommiku 11, Pärnu, Estonia
See all sites in Pärnu

Details

Founded: 15th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in Estonia
Historical period: Danish and Livonian Order (Estonia)

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Sofia Santos (2 years ago)
Really good movie in the history if the tower and Parnu people
Antti Savinen (2 years ago)
Top floor had nice 360 video about history of Pärnu from the ice age till modern days. Very nicely done. Second floor model of the old city and some archeological findings from the area. The tower itself was nice. You should pop in if you are interested in history.
Forgefilip (3 years ago)
A fine structure, but not much to see or learn.
Rachman Blake (3 years ago)
Friendly customer service. Great air conditioning. The 8 euro informational film was not worth it. It was a 360 degree film about local history, but you had to constantly turn back to the monitor to read the description. Perhaps hire a voice over artist to record the text so one can listen while enjoying the 360 movie. Or just pay someone to stand there and read it out loud. I can do it on Sunday’s as I have nothing else to do.
George On tour (6 years ago)
An international exhibition of historical weapons and iron troops has been opened in the defense tower of Pärnu's oldest preserved castle in the summer. The exhibition is worthy of its name, as many items of the collection have belonged to royal families or their bodyguards. On the two floors of the red tower, more than 70 original pieces of the exhibition are exhibited at 750 to 1800. Each item has its own unique story and symbolizes the design of its era. On the first floor of the Red Tower, there is an Oriental display of weapons from Persian, India and Japan, and it is possible to preview the Samurai battle equipment, clothing and weapons. The second floor is in the history of Europe, giving an overview of weapons and ironmongery from the early spring to the beginning of the 1800s.
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Linderhof Palace

Linderhof is the smallest of the three palaces built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria and the only one which he lived to see completed.

Ludwig II, who was crowned king in 1864, began his building activities in 1867-1868 by redesigning his rooms in the Munich Residenz and laying the foundation stone of Neuschwanstein Castle. In 1868 he was already making his first plans for Linderhof. However, neither the palace modelled on Versailles that was to be sited on the floor of the valley nor the large Byzantine palace envisaged by Ludwig II were ever built.

Instead, the new building developed around the forester's house belonging to his father Maximilian II, which was located in the open space in front of the present palace and was used by the king when crown prince on hunting expeditions with his father.