Execution sites
· Vanalinn
Town Hall Square Pillory
The pillory turned punishment into a public spectacle and made the offender’s disgrace a matter for the whole town.
Punishment in a medieval town did not always take place behind walls. A person fastened to the pillory was placed in the market square where passers-by could stare, mock and insult them. The penalty damaged reputation as well as the body, and reputation could determine a person’s future in a small urban community. The pillory has vanished, but its story reveals a much harsher side of today’s ceremonial square.
Practical information
Address: Raekoja plats
The pillory itself has not survived. Read the square as an open theatre: the Town Hall represented authority and the townspeople formed the audience.