A Tale of Two Tallinns
Charmingly Medieval or amazingly modern? Figuring out which describes Tallinn better would be a tough job. On one hand, the city's pride and joy is its historic Old Town, an enchanting neighbourhood of centuries-old streets, houses, towers and squares that looks like it was torn right from the pages of a storybook. On the other hand, threaded through that same Old Town and its environs are the cutting-edge restaurants, cafés and clubs that give Tallinn its energy and buzz. Visitors are often amazed by the newness of the place: the gleaming shops, the stylish interiors, the plush hotels. There are also the high-tech solutions that go handin- hand with Tallinn life, like free, wireless Internet available practically everywhere and the common practice of paying for parking by mobile phone. This is, after all, the country that invented Skype.
#1. Town Hall and Town Hall Square
The square in front of Tallinn's Town Hall functioned as a marketplace for centuries, dating back to times even before the Town Hall itself was built. Through the years this served as a place of celebrations as well as executions.Today the square remains a cultural focal point for the city. In summer, it's filled with outdoor cafés and is home to countless open-air concerts, handicraft fairs and medieval markets. In winter, an annual Christmas Market enchants the crowds on the square, as does the town's Christmas tree (a tradition whose roots stretch back to 1441), which stays up for a month or more.
Also, find the round stone marked with a compass rose in the middle of the square. From this spot, with a little stretching and bending, you can see the tops of all five of Old Town's spires.
Read more about Tallinn Town Hall
Photos of the Town Hall and Town Hall Square
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#2. St. Olav's Church
Once the tallest structure in the world.
St. Olav's Church was the tallest church in Medieval Europe. The earliest data on St. Olav's Church come from 1267. Little is known about the building of this Gothic style church and its early years, but there may have been a church on this location as early as the 12th century, alongside the Scandinavian market yard.The church was named after the Norwegian king Olav II Haraldsson, canonised as a saint. St. Olav was considered to be the protector of seafarers.
Around 1500, the building reached a height of 159 meters (now 123,7m), and became the world's tallest building of the time. The motivation for building such an immensely tall steeple must have been to use it as a maritime signpost, which made the trading city of Tallinn visible from far out at sea. There was also a risk, however: the steeple has been hit by lightning at least eight times, and the whole church has burned down three times. The fire could be seen from Finland, all the way across the Gulf.
In summertime it is highly recommended to make an effort and climb the steps up to the tower to enjoy the magnificent panorama view over the Old Town, the port and the sea.
Also read about the legend of how St Olav's Church was built
#3. Kadriorg (St. Catherine's Valley)
Kadriorg is one of the romantic hotspots of Tallinn. It boasts a large park with ponds, flower gardens and pathways, which are all there to surround the magnificent Kadriorg Palace.The Kadriorg Palace was built by Russian tsar Peter I. The constructions began in 1718, and it was called Ekaterinenthal, or Catherinenthal, in honour of Catherine I.
The architect of the temporary summer residence palace and park was the Italian Niccolo Michetti, who was later involved with the famous Peterhof Palace. It is said that the tsar himself laid the first foundation stones for the palace.
In the 1930s, Kadriorg Palace became a residence for the head of state. On the same level as the palace, across the back flower garden, lies the president's office building, built a few years before World War II, which today serves as the residence of the President of the Republic of Estonia.
Currently, the baroque Kadriorg Palace is housing the foreign art collection of the Estonian Art Museum, which organizes concerts and theatre performances, lectures and receptions, in addition to art exhibitions.
Read more about Kadriorg Palace, its ensemble and the Kadriorg Park
Address: Weizenbergi 37
Museum open: Tu-Su, 10-17
Website: Kadriorg Estonian Art Museum
#4. Museum of Occupations
This modern museum is the first in the nation dedicated to the 1939 - 1991 time period, during which Estonia was occupied briefly by the Germans, and for a longer time by the Soviet Union. Audio-visual displays, photos and sound recordings highlight the events of the era, repression and popular resistance, as well as showing how ordinary people coped with the day-to-day realities of this difficult period.
The Museum of Occupations gives a perfect insight to what the Estonians have had to go through in their history and helps to understand them as a nation. For anyone interested in the people and their background, which has made them who they are now, this is definitely a must-visit place.
Address: Toompea 8 (Google Maps)
Open: Tu-Su 11-18
Website: The Museum of Occupations
The Museum of Occupations gives a perfect insight to what the Estonians have had to go through in their history and helps to understand them as a nation. For anyone interested in the people and their background, which has made them who they are now, this is definitely a must-visit place.
Address: Toompea 8 (Google Maps)
Open: Tu-Su 11-18
Website: The Museum of Occupations
#5. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is Tallinn's largest and grandest cupola cathedral.The large, richly decorated Orthodox church, in mixed historicist style, was built on Toompea Hill in 1900, when Estonia was part of the Russian tsarist empire. The architect of the church was Mikhail Preobrazhenski from St. Petersburg. The church is dedicated to the Prince of Novgorod, Alexander Yaroslavitz Nevsky, who led the famous Ice Battle on the banks of Lake Peipsi on 5 April, 1242 and halted the Germans' eastward advance.
Before the building of the cathedral, there was a garden on the same site, in front of Toompea Castle, with a memorial to Martin Luther. The well-maintained cathedral is the grandest sacred Orthodox structure in Tallinn.
The church's belltowers hold Tallinn's most powerful church bell ensemble, consisting of 11 bells, including the largest in Tallinn, weighing 15 tonnes. You can hear the entire bell ensemble playing before church services. The interior, decorated with mosaics and icons, is well worth a visit.
Address: Lossi plats 10
#6. The Town Wall and Towers
Medieval forts, which first appeared during the early development of the medieval city in the latter 13th century, surrounded the downtown to create a closed-o. defense zone. Constant additions and improvements meant that, by the 16th century, Tallinn boasted one of the most powerful and strongest defense systems in Northern Europe. The town wall was then 3m thick and 16m high, stretching 4km around the city, and connecting 46 defense towers. Today, 2km of the original wall and 26 of the towers remain intact.Read more about Tallinn Town Wall, Towers and Gates - the defensive structures of the Old Town
#7. Town Hall Pharmacy
Town Hall Pharmacy is one of the oldest pharmacies still functioning in its original spot in all of Europe.
The pharmacy, which stands on the corner of the Town Hall Square, was first mentioned in historical documents in 1422, but by some accounts, it may be older still. The town council-governed pharmacy sold many other goods besides medicine.Over the centuries, it has changed slightly, but it still retains the flavour of bygone days, while it sells modern medicines. Medieval medicinal ingredients like bat powder and snakeskin are no longer available, but you can still try the fine spiced claret, renowned already in the Middle Ages.
Address: Raekoja plats 11
Open: Mo-Fr 9-19, Sa 9-17, Su -
#8. St. Catherine's Passage (Katariina käik)
St. Catherine's Passage is a landmark combining master craftsmen's workshops with a medieval atmosphere. It is without doubt one of the most romantic spots in the Old Town.St. Catherine's Passage (Katariina käik) connects Vene and Müürivahe streets. You can see the remaining portions of St. Catherine's Church in the northern part of the passage. Residential buildings from the 15th to the 17th centuries stand along the sides of the southern section of the Passage.
The Passage was rediscovered and given new life in the summer of 1995, but is still imbued with a medieval milieu.
The open studios of artisans are now located here, and visitors can watch artists and craftsmen practise their craft daily. While each studio is unique in appearance and function, they are all united in the principle of the open studio: here one can view works not only as finished products, as in an ordinary gallery, but also as the end product of various processes that the open studio presents to the visitor.
#9. Kumu Art Museum
Opened in 2006, the Kumu is the impressive new main building of the Art Museum of Estonia, and it's naturally a magnet for every visitor interested Estonian culture. The immense, hightech facility serves as both a national gallery, displaying the classics of Estonian art, and a contemporary art museum, showing off the latest trends.Kumu Art Museum received the European Museum of the Year 2008 Award!
Address: Weizenbergi 34 / Valge 1
Open: Tu-Su, 11-18
Website: Kumu Art Museum
#10. The Open Air Museum
The Open Air Museum presents a unique collection of old Estonian buildings on a 79-hectare expanse of seaside land.
Farm buildings, windmills and water mills from various periods and regions have been brought together here. Folk holidays are celebrated in traditional style at the museum, and often folk dance and music can be enjoyed here.Estonian Open Air Museum is located in a picturesque 79-hectare forest park by Kopli Bay.
Farm buildings from various times and places are on display, along with windmills, water mills and much more. The museum is outside of the city and its hectic hubbub, an ideal place to take a picnic and escape from city life.
Address: Vabaõhumuusemi tee 12
Open: Mo-Su, 10-20 (Farmhouses 10-18)
Website: Estonian Open Air Museum
What's your favourite of these 10 suggested places?
Vote for what should be at the top of the list and also feel free to add your own favourites, if you feel like something is missing from the list.
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Tallinn travel guides on Amazon
Tallinn, 2nd: The Bradt City Guide (Bradt Mini Guide)
Amazon Price: $10.39 (as of 12/02/2009) 
Best of Tallinn (Globetrotter Best of Series)
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Tallinn Map by ITMB
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Tallinn Insight Pocket Guide
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Tallinn, a tourist guidebook
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Other lenses about Tallinn
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Tallinn, Estonia - Medieval Yet Modern
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Charmingly Medieval or amazingly modern? Figuring out which describes Tallinn better would be a tough job. On one hand, the city's pride and joy is its historic Old Town, an enchanting neighbourhood of centuries-old streets, houses, towers and square...
Tallinn elsewhere on the web
- Tallinn on Facebook
- Tallinn's Facebook page: pictures, videos, other info and your chance to become a Tallinn Fan and chat with us. Ask questions, post your own photos or whatever you like!
- Tallinn on Flickr
- Tons of cool photos about Tallinn and its sights.
- Tallinn on Twitter
- Tallinn is tweeting about what's happening in Tallinn, all the news and interesting stuff that has something to do with Tallinn.
- Tallinn's official tourism website
- All the official info about anything you need to know before coming to Tallinn and while staying here!
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Sights in Tallinn
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Hello world. This is Tallinn speaking. Tallinn is a great city and we want all of you to know more about it. Maybe we will even meet here one day. (more)
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