Viru Gate

In 1857, Tallinn was deleted from the list of fortified towns, which paved the way for the development of Tallinn. Large sections of the city wall were either dismantled, hidden by buildings erected next to the wall, or new passages were broken into the wall to facilitate traffic. All gate towers but one (at the end of Pikk jalg) were demolished and only two barbicans (Viru and the Great Coastal Gate) have been partly preserved. This view from 1835 shows the situation before the large-scale demolition works in the second half of the century.