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Kiek in de Kok and Bastion Passages Museum
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Kiek in de Kok and Bastion Passages Museum

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Kiek in de Kok and Bastion Passages Museum
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1,207 reviews
#24 of 306 things to do in Tallinn
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The tower Kiek in de Kök together with the passages of the Ingrian and Swedish bastions is an exciting part of Tallinn historical fortifications.The exhibition of “Kiek in de Kök and Bastion Passages” reopened in March 2010 takes the visitor to a time journey that begins in 1219 and offers experience, information and entertainment. With the help of innovative video- and sound-effects and means of multimedia the birth and evolution of Tallinn, the history of town fortifications and the most significant military events are introduced to the visitor.The time train in the bastion passages takes the tourist to 2219. The other part of the passage display concentrates on the history of the passages.The cafe on the uppermost floor of the tower offers magnificent views of the upper town Toompea, the lower town and the harbor.
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4.0
1,207 reviews
Excellent
513
Very good
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Average
135
Poor
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Terrible
18
Nicholas N
Copenhagen, Denmark846 contributions
great
Mar 2023 • Solo
Quite a nice museum where you get to see the three towers. You also get entrance to the long tunnel in the buttom
Written 24 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Myo M
Coquitlam, Canada22,956 contributions
Down, Up & Sideways :)
Aug 2022
Starting in the "main tower" (which I'm sure is what this museum was named after), my order of visit was: first to the underground bastion passage for a "somewhat exciting" walk encountering along the way some prototype human models (interesting ones for their more or less life-like features) which I would say in a way describe the "historical past" of the city (along with a number of info displays as well) and where at about halfway of that passage is the end of historical displays & the start of archaeological ones (mostly stone plates with some various figures carved on them but also a few individual sculptures), in all about a 20-minute walk from one end to the other and having to come out the same way; then heading up the tower with mainly weaponry items & such (including a number of cannons) on a number of levels and where hanging from the ceiling all the way at the top is a "huge sphere" (likely made of stone); then going all the way down the tower to its basement area with some animal-related displays including one about the use of pigeons in World War I (and the pigeons seen in that historic photo likely those from the Tallinn area). And yes, after going back up the "main tower" from the basement to the door above which opens to the "upper walkway", it was a nice further walk to the additional towers (supposedly three but only two of which for entering with something like a "knight-themed" cafe inside one of them with a number of knight helmets & such displayed on a wall) and where also to be seen along one stretch of that walkway is a "row of horse-head sculptures" (and with plenty of seats in front of those horse-heads).

Located on Toompea Hill on the west side of the Old Town, worthwhile visiting along with this site on the fairly-spacious top of the hill are "3 more" each just for a brief visit (the orthodox Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the exterior of the Parliament of Estonia & the viewing platform). And yes, down the hill and just about a 5-minute walk from this site is the Town Hall Square with "the most vibrancy" (as seen in many shops & outdoor eating places) of the Old Town right around that square.
Written 5 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Zak D
9 contributions
100% worth visiting
Dec 2022 • Friends
It was really amazing. So much to see, definitely worth it on your trip. Had to go twice :). My family liked it and my friends loved it.
Written 29 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Mehilainen
Helsinki, Finland93 contributions
New must-go in Tallinn
Dec 2022
Now this was fun! As a many time Tallinn goer, dont know when this has opened but it was ne find for us. Very interesting!
Written 13 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
laczkozsu
Debrecen, Hungary1,396 contributions
Cannon tower in the Old Town
May 2022
It’s an important part of the Town Wall. It was built in 1475, its height 38 metres, the walls are 4 metres thick. This funny name means that the defenders of the tower could peek into the kitchens of the lower town. Now we can see some cannonballs from 1577 in the walls. Nowdays it houses the Tallinn City Museum's exhibition on the history of the city wall. I think it’s worth a visit.
Written 4 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Kimono-fan
Helsinki, FInland93 contributions
Interesting visit to the underground tunnels
Oct 2022
We climbed a long stretch of steps to the underground tunnels to learn about the history of Tallinn. There was a lot to see and a good audio guide with ample information. Some parts were a bit scary. The steps are a bit demanding for older people.
Written 3 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
William S
Clinton, NJ375 contributions
Terrific museum and passages--Great for Kids
Aug 2022
We had a wonderful time viewing the Kiek in de Kok (not what you think) exhibits that display the history of Tallinn dating back to 1200s or so, providing a great history lesson of this region and how various regional powers/countries shaped Estonia's development.
Written 1 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Thor N
Fetsund, Norway48 contributions
A must for people interested in history
Oct 2022 • Solo
You get to visit four towers with exhibitions in them and the tunnels underneath. It’s one of the best tings to see of history in Tallinn
Written 4 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Rexonaut
Brussels, Belgium752 contributions
More interesting than expected
Aug 2022 • Family
I even did not know tunnels are open. They were longe and deeper than expected. I was surprised that Swedes built such a strong fortification in a such short time.
During the Soviet time it was used as nuclear war shelter.
Written 21 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Mart652
Paris, France99 contributions
Good info displays
Aug 2022 • Couples
Nice little visit to old defensive tunnels, with good displays on how they were used for multitude of more recent purposes from civil defence and storage to hangouts for punks and the homeless.
Written 16 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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KIEK IN DE KOK AND BASTION PASSAGES MUSEUM (Tallinn) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

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