New virtual tour: Tallinna Patarei fortress

Already at the end of the Swedish era, a fortress building was built on the fishing beach. After the conquest of Tallinn in 1710, the Russians built a ford with wooden embankment buildings on its place, whose bastions on the ground were similar to those of the city of Tallinn. In 1820, a new fort with stone buildings was planned here, the main part of which was built by 1840. In the years 1920-2005, a prison operated in the main buildings of the ford. Popularly called Batarei prison.

In the years 2007-2016, Patarei Culture Park operated. During the summer months, a museum functioned in the premises, exhibitions, concerts, excursions and other events were organized. However, in October 2016, the owner of the fortress, Riigi Kinnisvara, closed the Batarei prison to the public. The official reason is the danger of the building collapsing. Before it was closed, this virtual tour was taken of the fort - to try to preserve the pristine integrity of this large-scale building, which the public will probably never see with their own eyes, if only in this way.

In addition to the photographic material, the historical texts also make this virtual tour special and interesting. Looking at the tour, you will notice blue areas. If you hover over them with the cursor (or touch with your finger on the touch screen), an information box opens where you can read about an element or object seen in the tour. In this way, this virtual tour is like visiting Patarei prison with a professional guide. And you can look for a more professional guide, because these factually accurate and easy-to-read texts were created by architectural historian Robert Treufeldt.

I hope that this virtual tour gives even a small idea of the authenticity of Patarei Fort in 2016. And that as a result of dark machinations, the luxury apartment building built as a new development above the battery will only become something more dignified and appropriate in the future. What exactly, I don't know, but those involved have thoughts. See, for example, the patarei.org website.

• See the Batarei virtual tour