Bastions beneath Tallinn and Kiek in de kok

In the Kiek in the Kok ( which actually means "to peep into the kitchen") there was a museum showcasing some of the military history of Tallin. The Kiek in the kok is a tower built by Swedish occupation. Beneath the Kiek in de Kok their is one of the most mysterious parts of Tallin's past. The tunnels were built during the Swedish occupation in the 16th century. During the 17th and 18th centuries the passsages sheltered men, ammunition and supplies. During the 9th and 10th of march 1944 the passages sheltered Estonian people from relentless bombing of Tallin by the Russians. During Russian occupation they were used as a Nuclear fallout shelter, in the 1980's Punks used the tunnels to escape Russian persecution and arrest because their hairstyles and fashion were considered illegal - they listened to music in the tunnels. Up until 2004 the tunnels were used by homeless people for shelter. The tunnels are between 10 and 17 meters below ground and are a constant 8 degrees. Parts of the tunnel network are still being discovered by archaeologists and during building work. One part of the tunnels are not open to the public because a rare Estonian cave spider has been found living there. You have to book for a tunnel tour - but it is well worth it.