Pärnu Red Tower Museum and Circular Panoramic Cinema

Built in the 15th century at the southeastern corner of the city wall, the Red Tower was part of the fortifications of medieval Uus-Pärnu and served for many years as the city prison. It is the only surviving defensive tower of the Hanseatic town of Uus-Pärnu and the oldest surviving building in Pärnu. Since the end of 2020, the Red Tower has housed a branch of Pärnu Museum that complements its permanent exhibition and introduces visitors to the history of the former prison tower and medieval Pärnu.

The tower’s attic floor is home to an innovative circular panoramic cinema, where visitors can watch a 10-minute animated film about the local area’s history: “A Ruthless and Merciful History: 15,000 Years in the Red Tower.” The film centres on the view from the visitor’s location, from the Ice Age to the present day. It shows geographical changes in the area where the city now stands and the city’s development, and takes viewers into the midst of fascinating historical events.

The ticket includes a screening in the circular panoramic cinema and, if desired, a short introduction to the history of the Red Tower by a museum employee.

http://www.parnumuuseum.ee/torn

PLEASE NOTE:

The Red Tower courtyard can be accessed through the gate on Hommiku Street. From the open gate, you can see the courtyard gallery and the tower—feel free to come in.

The small tower can accommodate only a limited number of people at a time. For this reason, a purchased ticket allows you to stay in the tower for up to 30 minutes.

If more than 10 people plan to visit the tower at the same time, please contact us in advance. To ensure that the Red Tower’s fascinating stories are not overlooked, we also recommend that groups book a guided visit programme.

The architecture of this medieval tower imposes significant accessibility limitations. Before purchasing a ticket, we recommend making sure that the narrow, steep stairs and high thresholds will not prevent you from visiting the Red Tower.

Contact us: visit@pernau.ee, +372 443 3488 (during the tower’s opening hours)