TALLInn - In Your Pocket

64 What to see What to see
Given its age (over 800 years old) and its fascinating history,
Tallinn is chalk-full of sights, museums and countless
stories to help you pass the time rather interestingly. Here
you'll find the must-sees and a whole lot more.
Find Tourist Information Points in the Basics section.
The Old Town
Dating back as far as the 13th century, the old section of
Tallinn is what keeps most visitors occupied during their stay.
The winding, cobbled streets of the medieval capital take you
past half-hidden lanes, courtyards, spired churches and old,
merchant houses. For centuries, what’s now the Old Town
has been divided into two distinct parts: Toompea Hill, which
was home to the gentry that lorded over the countryside, and
Lower Town, which was a separate political entity with rights
as an autonomous town.
Toompea Hill
Climb Pikk jalg and you’ll find yourself on Castle Square
(Lossi plats), smack-dab between the seat of the Estonian
government at Toompea Castle and the 19th-century symbol
of the Tsar’s power in Estonia, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.
You are standing at the birthplace of Tallinn.
Viewing platforms (C-
1/2) The Kohtuotsa and
Patkuli viewing platforms are
usually the first place that
tourists want to see when
they visit Tallinn. From here,
sweeping views of the town,
its red-tiled roofs, its towers,
its walls and all of its charm open up. Get your camera ready.
Toompea Castle D-1, Lossi plats 1, www.riigikogu.
ee. Built on the spot where the ancient Estonians’ wooden
fortress stood before the 1219 Danish invasion, Tallinn’s
castle served for seven centuries as the seat of power for
the nation’s foreign masters. Now it houses the Riigikogu,
Estonia’s parliament. On one corner of the castle you can see
Pikk Hermann tower with the blue, black and white tricolour
flag waving above it. It’s commonly recognised that whoever’s
flag flies on top of this tower is the ruler of Estonia. The
pink section you see in front is actually a baroque structure
added in the 18th Century.
For a more castle-like view of
this building, head behind it,
down the opposite side of the
hill. Q Admission only with
a guided tour, Mon-Fri from
10:00 - 16:00. Call (+372)
631 63 45 for details. J
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral C/D-1, Lossi plats 10,
tel. (+372) 644 34 84, www.orthodox.ee. Toompea’s
dominating landmark is the Russian Orthodox cathedral
named for the duke who attacked southeastern Estonia
and Pskov in the early 13th century. Tsar Alexander III ordered
the cathedral designed in 1894
by St. Petersburg master Mikhail
Preobrazhensky and it was completed
in 1900. According to legend, the
cathedral was built on the grave of
Estonian hero Kalev and has suffered
structurally as a result. Q Services
in Russian Mon - Fri 08:30 ;17:00, Sat
08:30, Sun 09:30. In Estonian Sat
11:00. Admission free. J
The Tallinn Card
If you’re trying pack the most into your time in Tallinn,
consider picking up the city tourist office’s discount card,
the Tallinn Card, good for 6hrs (€12), 24hrs (€24), 48hrs
(€32), or 72hrs (€40). For kids 6 - 14, the price is reduced
by 50%. Cardholders get to choose from one free city tour
and 50% off a number of others. Cardholders will also
gain free admission to all the city’s museums, unlimited
use of public transport and all sorts of fun bonuses and
freebies, like chocolate-covered marzipan and admission
to Club Hollywood. A very well written, fat booklet that
comes with the card lists all the offers. There’s also a
six-hour version of the card (no sightseeing tour included)
designed for cruise ship passengers and anyone else
blowing through town. It costs €12. The card is sold in
major hotels, can be found at the airport, in the harbour
and at the Tallinn Tourist Information Centres (Kullassepa
4 and Viru väljak 4). For more details, consult the website
at www.tallinncard.ee.
Danish King’s Garden
(Taani Kuninga aed) D-1,
Lühike jalg 9a. One of the
most picturesque and secluded
locations in Old Town, the Danish
King’s Garden is filled with trees,
benches, little nooks and a great
view of the Niguliste Church spire.
The best time to visit the garden is at night with the medieval
walls at your back and the beautifully lit lower town roofs
providing ambience. It also features two of Tallinn’s fortification
towers, Neitsitorn (Virgin’s Tower) and Tallitorn (Stable
Tower). They are currently currently under renovation, but in
the future they’ll house a café and various exhibits. Q J
Dome Church (Cathedral of
Saint Mary the Virgin) (Toomkirik)
C-1, Toomkooli 6, tel. (+372)
644 41 40, tallinna.toom@eelk.ee,
www.eelk.ee/tallinna.toom. What
might be the oldest church in Estonia
was founded in 1219 by the first wave of
Danish forces. The Gothic exterior dates
to the 14th century, but the interior was
rebuilt after the 1684 fire. The Baroque
pulpit (1686) and organ loft (1780)
are worth a look. As you enter be sure to step on the tomb of
Otto Johann Thuve, who asked that his grave be placed in this
humbling location. Please be considerate and visit after the
Sunday service. QOpen 09:00 - 15:00. Closed Mon. Services in
Estonian Sun 11:00. Organ music Sat 12:00. Admission free. J
Kiek in de Kök (Peep into the Kitchen) D-1/2,
Komandandi 2, tel. (+372) 644 66
86, kok@linnamuuseum.ee, www.
linnamuuseum.ee/kok. Built 1475 -
1481, this 45m, six-storey cannon tower
played a key role in the Livonian War and
still has nine of Ivan IV’s cannonballs embedded
in its walls to prove it. Medieval
soldiers joked that from its top, they
could see right into the kitchens of the
houses below - hence the odd name.
The tower now operates as a museum.
QOpen 10:30 - 18:00. Closed Mon. In November open
Tue - Sun 10:00 - 17:30, closed Mon. Admission €4.50. Joint
ticket with the Bastion tunnels €8.30 (read more on p.7). J
Tallinn In Your Pocket tallinn.inyourpocket.com
Lower Town
Lower Town, the larger part of medieval Tallinn (or Reval as it
was called back then), became a member of the Hanseatic
League at the end of the 13th century. Goods from around
the world came in through the port and were traded on the
market on Town Hall Square. Reval operated autonomously
from the rest of the Estonian territories right up until Tsarist
Russian times. As in the rest of the country, the real movers
and shakers in Reval society were the Baltic Germans, with
Ethnic Estonians for most part second-class citizens. However,
Estonian peasants from surrounding areas often escaped
to the city, where they could eventually be considered free.
Town Hall Square (Raekoja
Plats) C/D-2. As a medieval market
and a modern meeting place, Town
Hall Square has been the heart of
city life for eight centuries. With the
Town Hall at your back, you can survey
some of the most impressive examples of Gothic architecture in
Tallinn. Hunt for a circular stone in the centre of the square marked
with a compass rose, you can see all five towers from there.
Town Hall (Raekoda) D-2, Raekoja plats 1, tel. (+372)
645 79 00, raekoda@tallinnlv.ee, veeb.tallinn.ee/
raekoda. The jewel in the crown of Old Town is unquestionably
the Town Hall, the centre of civic rule from the Middle Ages
to the early 20th century. Though a previous town hall stood
here at least as far back as 1322, the imposing Gothic building
of today dates to 1404. Old Thomas, the weather vane who
symbolises Tallinn, has been keeping watch since 1530. This
time of year you need to call ahead to arrange for a glimpse
of the vaulted halls and carved friezes of the historic interior.
QOpen 10:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. Admission €4. JN
Town Hall Pharmacy (Raeapteek)
C-2, Raekoja plats 11, tel. (+372) 631 48
60, www.raeapteek.ee. One of the oldest
continuously running pharmacies in Europe is
on Town Hall Square. No one knows exactly
when it opened, but records show that the
Raeapteek was already on its third owner in
1422. In Medieval times patients could buy
mummy juice and burnt bees for treatment,
and healthy folks could even drop in for a glass of spiced wine.
Keeping up with the times, the pharmacy sells the usual aspirin
and condoms, but part of the shop is also a museum, displaying
old medical instruments and other curiosities. QOpen 10:00 -
18:00. Closed Mon, Sun. Admission free. J
Holy Spirit Church (Püha Vaimu kirik) C-2/3, Pühavaimu
2, tel. (+372) 644 14 87/(+372) 646 44 30,
tallinna.puhavaimu@eelk.ee, www.eelk.ee/tallinna.
puhavaimu. This awe-inspiring, 13th-century church adjacent
Town Hall Square sports an impressive Baroque tower as well
as an ornate, outdoor clock that’s said to be one of the most
photographed objects in Tallinn. The real treasure however is
the intricate, wood-carved interior, which includes Baroque pews
and a Renaissance pulpit (the oldest in Tallinn). Founded by the
Order of the Holy Spirit, the church was always close to the
people - It was the most active in providing alms to the sick and
poor, and it was here that the first sermons
were given in Estonian after the Reformation.
QOpen 10:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun. Services
in Estonian Sun 11:00, in English 15:00, first
Sunday of the month in Latvian at 13:00 and
in sign language second and fourth Sunday
of the month at 13:00. Classical music hour
Mon 18:00. Entrance fee €1. J
tallinn.inyourpocket.com
Dominican Monastery (Dominiiklaste klooster)
C-3, Vene 16, tel. (+372) 644 46 06/(+372) 515 54 89,
info@kloostri.ee, www.kloostri.ee. One of Tallinn’s oldest
existing buildings is this monastery founded in 1246. The part
of the monastery administered by the museum includes the
courtyard and surrounding passageways, where fascinating
15th- and 16th-century stone carvings are on display. To
see the inner rooms, visit the Claustrum, listed next. Q J
Dominican Monastery Claustrum C-3, Müürivahe 33,
tel. (+372) 511 25 36, info@paideia.ee, www.claustrum.
eu. Here you’ll find the monastery’s inner chambers such as
the monk’s dormitory, priory, library, etc. One of the most
interesting spots may be the downstairs room that houses
the ‘energy pillar’ purportedly the source of a mysterious
power. Open from May 15th through September, other
times only for prearranged group bookings. QOpen
11:00 - 17:00. Admission €8. Various programmes available,
see website for details. J
Niguliste Church - Museum
C-2, Niguliste 3, tel. (+372) 631
43 30/(+372) 644 99 03 tours,
niguliste@ekm.ee, www.ekm.ee.
Tallinn’s most famous work of art, a
wall-sized fragment of Bernt Notke’s
spooky, 15th-century masterpiece
Dance Macabre, has its home in this
13th-century Gothic church-turned
art museum. Destroyed during World
War II and rebuilt during Soviet times,
the church now houses a fascinating collection of medieval
religious art, with altars from the 15th and 16th centuries,
a collection of Baroque and Renaissance chandeliers, and a
‘silver chamber.’ The church is also known for its acoustics
- organ concerts are held here every Saturday and Sunday
at 16:00. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon, Tue. Admission
€3.50. J
St. Catherine's Passage (Katarina Käik) C-3, . One
of the prettiest little walkways in all of Old Town, the medieval
St. Catherine's passage connects Vene and Müürivahe
streets. On the northern portion of the passage you can find
what's left of St. Catherine's Church (hence the passage
name) and various large, ancient tombstones that used to
line the inside of the sanctuary. On the southern portion of
the passage, you'll find numerous artisan workshops, where
you'll even get see them hard at work creating new items
for you to buy. At any rate, we're sure you'll find Katarina
Käik, a pretty nice hike.
St. Olaf’s Church (Oleviste Kirik) B-3, Lai 50, tel.
(+372) 641 22 41, oleviste@oleviste.ee, www.oleviste.
ee. St. Olaf’s 124m spire is a Tallinn landmark, and was
the tallest building in Europe between 1549 and 1625. An
old legend claims that the church was built to attract more
merchant ships to the town by a mysterious craftsman who
promised to work for free if the townspeople discovered
his name (Olev). In reality, the church took its name from
the canonised Norwegian king, Olav
Havaldsson. The first mention of the
church dates to 1267, but the interior
dates to 1840 and reflects that era’s
Historicist bent. Q Services in Estonian
Sun 10:00, 12:00, Thurs 18:30
(prayer). English service first Sunday
of the month at 17:00. Admission free.
The tower’s viewing platform is open to
the public from April through October
daily 10:00 - 18:00. Admission €2. J
April - May 2012
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