The defining feature of Narva Castle is the tower located in the north-west corner of the main building. Its predecessor is thought to have been a rectangular wooden tower built by the Danes which stood 12 meters tall. The Livonian Order repeatedly added to the height of the tower. As a result of its final reconstruction in the 16th century, its height reached 50 meters and it became the perfect vantage point from which to observe the movements of the Russian garrison in Ivangorod Castle. The walls are between 3.5 and 4 meters thick at the base of the tower. The tower was considered the last stronghold of the castle. The name 'Tall Hermann' first appeared in writing in the mid-16th century. According to one legend, it is linked to the name of the head of the Livonian Order at the time; according to another, it means 'tall warrior' or 'general' in Old High German. Elsewhere in Estonia, the tallest towers of Toompea Castle in Tallin and Kuressare Castle on the island of Saaremaa also bear the name Tall Hermann. The Tall Hermann we see in Narva was considered one of the most powerful castle towers in the Baltics. 

Type of Data Point - Publicly Available Information

Tower - Tall Hermann Narva - Public Info

Visit page of the element - Tower - Tall Hermann Narva

Inserted: 16-08-2022 04:08:37