Porkuni Castle Tower, Lääne-Virumaa, Estonia

Only foundations and one gate-tower have survived of the so-called fortified Tafelgut that used to belong to the bishop of Tallinn.

The castle was erected on a hill by the Porkuni lake in 1479 by Simon von der Borch. Cannon towers stood in the corners of the camp castle shaped as an irregular rectangle. The circular wall and the towers did not probably reach their height all at the same time, but in the course of a longer period. This claim is backed up by the gate tower - rectangular at the bottom and octagonal at the top. The machicolation frieze adorning the top of the tower dates back to a much later time, as proved by comparing the engravings of Porkuni produced in the 17th and 19th centuries. The castle was severely damaged during the Livonian War. The castle tower currently houses museums.

User Reviews

non influencer (2 years ago)
Beautiful place and you can really feel different energy- calming and somewhat peaceful ????

I K (3 years ago)
Needs renovations but you can walk the grounds and park.

Finn Juul Stroem (3 years ago)
Thise Manor can be something of the best in Estonia, if it will be done in the right way.

Joosep Taluväli (4 years ago)
Nice museum

KristjanS (4 years ago)
Really nice views, beautyful manor but needs to be restored. Great lake for swimming.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Ninara

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The church of the former Franciscan monastery was built probably between 1515 and 1520. It is located in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Old Rauma. The church stands by the small stream of Raumanjoki (Rauma river).

The exact age of the Church of the Holy Cross is unknown, but it was built to serve as the monastery church of the Rauma Franciscan Friary. The monastery had been established in the early 15th century and a wooden church was built on this location around the year 1420.

The Church of the Holy Cross served the monastery until 1538, when it was abandoned for a hundred years as the Franciscan friary was disbanded in the Swedish Reformation. The church was re-established as a Lutheran church in 1640, when the nearby Church of the Holy Trinity was destroyed by fire.

The choir of the two-aisle grey granite church features medieval murals and frescoes. The white steeple of the church was built in 1816 and has served as a landmark for seafarers.

Porkuni Castle Tower

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