The wall walkway between the Renten tower and the tower behind Grusbeke
Is it possible to find – from between my limestone and bricks – traces of the oldest known wall of the city of Tallinn, the Margaret Wall, built between 1265–1282? It is like the Holy Grail, something which archaeologists would love to discover.
I was named after the alderman Arnds van Renthen probably during the Danish period. I was built into the city wall, at the bend in the northwest corner. In the Middle Ages, the tower even rose to four storeys, but having lost its defensive importance it started falling apart rapidly. At the end of the 19th century it was demolished to make room for a new building.
It was long believed that the tower had been destroyed without a trace remaining. However, a few years ago, parts of the Renten tower were revealed when structures built onto the city wall were demolished. Thanks to this, the remains of the Renten Tower appeared in the wall of 49 Lai Street. The semi-circular contour of the tower is clearly visible now from the exterior where the city wall meets the Lai Street house.