Prisons and cells
· Kalamaja
Patarei Prison
Built as a coastal fortress, Patarei later became a prison under successive regimes.
Patarei’s long stone complex was built to defend Tallinn’s coast. Later converted into a prison, it held people under several political systems. Repression by totalitarian occupying powers left an especially painful legacy. The walls may appear unchanged, but their meaning depended on who closed the doors and whose freedom was taken. The site asks visitors to distinguish the building’s military origins from the experiences of those imprisoned inside it.
Practical information
Address: Kalaranna 28
View Patarei at Kalaranna 28. Check official access before entering; do not enter closed or unsafe sections.