Powder Tower, Riga, Medieval defense tower in Central District, Latvia
The Powder Tower is a medieval defensive tower in the center of Riga, the only surviving remnant of the old city fortifications. It has a horseshoe-shaped plan and very thick brick walls that rise several floors.
The tower was first built in 1330 and was then known as the Sand Tower, forming part of Riga's medieval city wall. It was destroyed and later rebuilt in the 17th century, when it received its current shape.
The tower is home to the Latvian War Museum, which visitors move through floor by floor. The displays cover weapons, uniforms, and objects from different periods of Latvian military history.
The tower sits on Smilsu Street in the Old Town and is easy to reach on foot from most of the city center. Inside, steep stairs connect the exhibition floors, so comfortable shoes are a good idea.
Cannonballs from historic sieges are still embedded in the outer walls and visible to anyone who walks around the building. Some of them date back to the Swedish wars of the early 18th century.
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