They gained the name from the ability of tower occupants to see into kitchens of nearby houses. Due to the history of the Hanseatic League and the Teutonic Order, also towers far outside modern Germany bear this name, like in Gdask and Tallinn. The tower in Tallinn is an artillery tower built in 1475.The walls are 4 m thick but the tower was then lower than today. The waterproof upper floor made of cobblestones was open and had 22 embrasures in its parapet. The parapet must have been covered by some kind of a roof but the middle part of the floor was uncovered to get the mortars and catapults in place better. Compared to the other Tallinn towers Kiek in de Kök was predominant in its fire power, due to its 27 embrasures for cannons and 30 for handguns. The ground floor was a storage floor and there was also the initial entrance. This floor had a narrow light and airshaft and no embrasures
Tallinn has previously been named as Kolõvan, Lindanise and Reval. Most well-known sights in Tallinn are Freedom Square, Kadriorg Palace, Rotermann Quarter, Tallinn Song Festival Grounds, Toompea Castle and Town Hall Square, the Old Town of Tallinn and many more. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. At the Old Town, you pass beneath the arches of Tallinn's ancient stone walls and enter a world of cobblestones, narrow alleys, and medieval buildings. It's a fun place to explore on foot. Today, the city is growing rapidly, with modern buildings joining the old. The government of Estonia is located in Tallinn. Tallinn is a European Capital of Culture for 2011, along with Turku, Finland. Tartu is the second largest city of Estonia. Tartu in an area of 38.8 square kilometers In contrast to Estonia's political and financial capital Tallinn, Tartu is often considered the
In 1696 the present name Kiek in de Kök was also mentioned, meaning "peek into the kitchen" in Low German. And true enough, it was possible to watch what the enemy was doing in their "kitchen" i.e. on position lower down from the about 38m-high tower. Already in the late 15th century the tower was somewhat reconstructed. The outer walls were made thicker and the tower got a diameter of 17.3 m. The walls are 4 m thick but the tower was then lower than today. The waterproof upper floor made of cobblestones was open and had 22 embrasures in its parapet. The parapet must have been covered by some kind of a roof but the middle part of the floor was uncovered to get the mortars and catapults in place better. Compared to the other Tallinn towers Kiek in de Kök was predominant in its fire power, due to its 27 embrasures for cannons and 30 for handguns. The ground floor was a storage floor and here was also the initial entrance. This floor had a narrow light and airshaft and no embrasures
Until the 20th century there was no way down from the western side of Toompea except for a foot-path. The stairs were built in 1903 and called Patkul Stairs after Dietrich Friedrich von Patkuli who had been the deputy Governor in Tallinn during the Great Northern War. Pikk Jalg (Long Leg) - the original road leading to the ancient Estonian stronghold (therefore the oldest street in Tallinn) and the only public road connecting the upper and lower town. It was paved with cobblestones already in the 14th century and was considered quite a dangerous place in the old times. It was certainly not recommended to walk along it after dark and it was not an easy road to be taken on a carriage, as the steep rise often proved too difficult for the horses and going down usually required excellent coachman´s skills. The present day 5-storeyed gate tower dates from 1380. Lühike Jalg (Short Leg) was first mentioned in 1353. This street belonged to the
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