Gates, walls and towers
· Vanalinn
Harju Gate
Harju Gate was a major western entrance to Tallinn, removed as traffic and the expanding city demanded more space.
Harju Gate controlled the road between the slope of Toompea and the western suburbs. At night the passage was closed and the wall separated the protected town from the world outside. By the 19th century the old defences obstructed a growing city, and the gate was demolished. Today’s open Harju Street conceals a place where arrivals once had to stop and submit to municipal control.
Practical information
Address: Harju tänav
Examine the end of Harju Street beside Freedom Square and look for traces of the old boundary in the paving and terrain. The gate has not survived.