Fat Margaret Tower
Fat Margaret Tower is one of the narrated stops on the self-guided Tallinn audio walking tour in Gingerguide. Plan about ~60 min here. Press play at the spot for its two to three minute story, or ask the AI guide anything about it.
- Type museum
- Suggested visit ~60 min
- Tallinn Tallinn guide
About Fat Margaret Tower
A massive round cannon tower guarding the Great Coastal Gate on Pikk street, once a gunpowder store and prison and, since 1981, home to the Estonian Maritime Museum.
Fat Margaret, or Paks Margareeta, is a squat round cannon tower at the harbour end of Pikk street, guarding the Great Coastal Gate. Built between 1511 and 1530 as part of a rebuilding of the medieval coastal gate, it measures roughly 25 metres across, with walls up to about 5 metres thick. Its nickname reflects its bulk, as one of the largest parts of the city's fortifications. The tower later served as a gunpowder store and a prison, where guards were killed during the unrest of 1917.
The tower is part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town of Tallinn. It has housed the Estonian Maritime Museum since 1981, and after a roughly two-year renovation the museum's new permanent exhibition reopened on 29 November 2019. The displays include a medieval shipwreck about 700 years old, some 70 ship models and interactive exhibits. During the works Fat Margaret became the first tower in Tallinn's Old Town to be fitted with an elevator for accessibility.
Did you know? After a two-year renovation, Fat Margaret's Estonian Maritime Museum reopened in 2019 around its centrepiece: a medieval shipwreck roughly 700 years old, shown alongside some 70 ship models and interactive exhibits.
How long should you spend at Fat Margaret Tower?
Plan about ~60 min at Fat Margaret Tower. That is enough to take it in and hear its narrated story; stay longer if it grabs you. The tour is self-guided, so there is no rush.
Is Fat Margaret Tower worth visiting?
Fat Margaret Tower is one of the 21 sights the Gingerguide team researched and narrated in Tallinn, so it earns a place on a self-guided walk. Its story explains why it matters, and you can ask the AI guide anything the story leaves open.
Nearby stops in Tallinn
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Hear the story of Fat Margaret Tower
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