Fat Margarethe

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Fat Margarethe
View from the east
View of the fat Margarethe

The Fat Margaret ( Estonian Paks Margareeta ) is a defense tower of the Reval city fortifications in the Estonian capital Tallinn (Reval).

location

It is located at the northernmost point of the old town of Reval at the northern end of Langstrasse (Estonian: Pikk ). Immediately to the west of the tower is the Great Beach Gate . The Estonian Maritime Museum is located in the tower . The Stolting Tower is located a little south of the Dicke Margarethe .

Architecture and history

The construction of the tower began in 1510, according to other sources in 1511, as part of the expansion of the Reval fortifications, which had become necessary due to improved weapon technology. The fat Margarethe served as a turret with which Reval was protected against attacks from the nearby Baltic Sea . At the same time, it should also impress people arriving from the sea. The outer walls of the tower were about five meters thick and about 24 meters in diameter. The height is about 20 meters, which means that the thick Margaret, which is rather unusual for towers, is wider than it is high. Unlike the older city fortifications, the fat Margarethe already had loopholes on the first of her four floors. The tower was completed in 1529, according to other sources in 1530.

After several renovations, the tower was used as an arsenal . It served as a prison for twelve years before it burned out. On October 22, 1965, the Maritime Museum was reopened in an outbuilding of the tower. The intention was to renovate the tower, which was still in ruins at the time. After the decision to award the 1980 Summer Olympics to Moscow in 1974, it was decided to renovate various historic buildings in Reval's old town, as the Olympic sailing competitions were to take place in the city. Among them were Fat Margaret and the Great Beach Gate. At the beginning of 1978 the Polish company Budimex started work. However, construction work was delayed. The museum then opened on April 27, 1981.

There is a view from the roof. A café is also set up there in the summer months.

The origin of the name Margarethe is unclear. It is believed that the name referred to larger cannons stationed here. Others suspect a reference to a cook Margarethe who is said to have worked here.

literature

  • Thorsten Altheide, Heli Rahkema: CityTrip Tallinn (= CityTrip series ). 4., rework. and completely updated. Edition Reise Know-How Verlag Peter Rump, Bielefeld 2016, ISBN 978-3-8317-2815-2 , p. 31
  • Valeri Sepp, Tallinn History of an Unusual City , Felistella, Estonia 2013, ISBN 978-9949-9264-8-0 , p. 59 f.

Web links

Commons : Dicke Margarethe  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Valeri Sepp, Tallinn History of an Unusual City , Felistella, Estonia 2013, ISBN 978-9949-9264-8-0 , p. 60
  2. ^ Estonian Maritime Museum - Fat Margaret Tower. In: visittallinn.ee
  3. ↑ Thorsten Altheide, Heli Rahkema: CityTrip Tallinn (= CityTrip series ). 4., rework. and completely updated. Edition Reise Know-How Verlag Peter Rump, Bielefeld 2016, ISBN 978-3-8317-2815-2 , p. 31
  4. ^ Estonian Maritime Museum - Fat Margaret Tower. In: visittallinn.ee
  5. ↑ Information on the history of the Estonian Maritime Museum (Estonian / English)
  6. ^ Estonian Maritime Museum - Fat Margaret Tower. In: visittallinn.ee

Coordinates: 59 ° 26 ′ 33.3 "  N , 24 ° 44 ′ 58.4"  E