Pärnu Red Tower Museum and Circular Panorama Cinema

The Red Tower, built in the 15th century at the southeastern corner of the town wall, was part of medieval New Pärnu’s fortifications and served for many years as the town prison. It is the only surviving defensive tower of the Hanseatic town of New Pärnu and the oldest surviving building in Pärnu. Since late 2020, the Red Tower has housed a branch of Pärnu Museum that complements the museum’s permanent exhibition and tells the story of the former prison tower and medieval Pärnu. In the innovative circular panorama cinema on the tower’s attic floor, visitors can watch a 10-minute animated film about local history, “A Ruthless and Merciful History. 15,000 Years in the Red Tower”. At the heart of the film is the view from the visitor’s location, spanning from the Ice Age to the present day. It shows geographical changes in the area and the development of the town, and takes viewers into the midst of fascinating historical events. The ticket includes a screening in the circular panorama cinema and, if requested, a brief introduction to the history of the Red Tower by a museum staff member.

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—please come on in.

… The small tower can accommodate only a limited number of people at a time. Therefore, your ticket allows you to stay in the tower for up to 30 minutes.

… If more than 10 people plan to visit the tower at once, please contact us in advance. To ensure that the fascinating stories of the Red Tower are not missed, we recommend that groups also book a guided programme.

… The medieval tower’s architecture imposes significant accessibility limitations. Before buying a ticket, please make 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)