Museums & science

Red Tower

The Red Tower is Pärnu's oldest surviving building and a rare material trace of the medieval town of Uus-Pärnu. The tower was built in the 15th century as part of the defensive fortifications; for several centuries it was also used as a town prison. Three floors of the massive stone structure have survived to this day. Today it houses a branch of the Pärnu Museum: the exhibition introduces the history of the medieval town and the tower itself, and the upper level features a circular panoramic cinema. A ten-minute animated film takes the viewer through approximately 15,000 years of the region's history, from the Ice Age to the present day. It is a compact yet particularly characteristic historical attraction in the center of Pärnu.