In 1561, Reval was captured by the Swedes. In those days, the city was a highly vulnerable target, and so the rulers who came to these lands decided to strengthen it by constructing earthen ramparts. Thus, by 1710, three bastions had been built in Reval: Skoone, Ingermanland, and Swedish. However, after the Northern War lost to the Russians, these fortifications were never again used for their intended purpose.
One of the most outstanding bastions that has survived to this day is the Swedish Bastion. It is located on the southern side of the Old Town and is a pentagonal earthen rampart. On the outside, it is reinforced with massive stone walls, and inside it there are underground labyrinths through which soldiers once moved unnoticed by the enemy, carrying weapons and ammunition. Today, these underground passages house a history museum, which can be accessed through the Kik-in-de-Kök tower.
