You won’t find these alleys listed in any guide to Tallinn museums but it is well worth making a quick visit to this back yard of the Old Town to take in the truly medieval atmosphere of the city wall. Unlike the busier Müürivahe – which skirts the ancient city wall near the Viru gateway, full of shops and bars – these contiguous lanes lie quiet and unnoticed beneath the massive walls and ramparts of the Old Town on the north-western side.
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rnHere can be found the densest collection of fortified towers in Tallinn – a quick walk down the three streets reveals eight or nine medieval bastions, lining the wall like illustrations from a French battle painting. Look also for the tiny, Rapunzel-like Church of the Blessed Virgin, a Ukrainian chapel with the smallest windows outside toyland. On the side of the wall, in the street, there is a little public prayer box. Above is written: ‘She is the protector of the innocent who have been wrongfully convicted, deceived and sinned against. The priest will pray for settlement of your question.’