Tallinn is a medieval wonderland.
The capital of Estonia isn't
on a lot of people's bucket list but anyone at all interested in history, architecture
or art will love this place.
The central attraction is Old Town, a medieval walled city filled with old buildings
and fortifications. The sheltered bay and the easily defended Toompea Hill made
it a natural place to settle. Sometime about 1050 A.D. a fortress was built atop
the hill, the first of many. In 1219 the Danes showed up as part of the Northern
Crusade to subjugate the Baltics and convert the local pagans to Christianity whether
they wanted to or not.
The Danes improved the fortifications and expanded the town, which became part of
the Hanseatic League, a trading organization of a hundred northern cities. The Danes
sold Tallinn to the Livonan Order, a branch of the Teutonic Knights, in 1346. The
Swedes came next in 1561. Tallinn weathered plague and the Great Northern War and
became part of Russia in 1710. In 1918, Estonia declared independence from Russia
and fought a bitter war against Bolshevik Russia. Independence didn't last long,
however, and the fledgling nation fell first to the Nazis and then the Soviets during
World War II.
Despite all this conquering, Tallinn's historic core has survived remarkably intact.
It's so well preserved that the whole Old Town has been designated a
UNESCO World Heritage Site. Much
of the 14th century city wall still stands, including a couple of stretches where
you can climb the narrow spiral staircases of the towers and end up on the medieval
catwalk. The Viru Gates, flanked by thin pointed towers from the 14th century, makes
a nice entrance into Old Town.
Dominating the town atop Toompea Hill is Toompea Castle and Pikk Hermann Tower.
It was used as the center of government since 1229 and is now the site of Estonia's
parliament. Nearby stands the inappropriately named Maiden's Tower that used to
house a prison for prostitutes.
There are several interesting old houses of worship. The oldest is the atmospheric
and very chilly Dominican Monastery from 1246. My favorite was the Holy Spirit Church
with its colorful Renaissance clock, elaborate altar, and painted pews. The 13th
century St. Nicholas got bombed in World War II but was meticulously reconstructed
and now houses a display of religious art, including the freaky "Dance Macabre"
of cavorting skeletons.
The photo below was taken from the spire of the Cathedral of St. Mary the Virgin,
one of the many towers that offer fine views of the city. Also try the Town Hall
for a great view. The most visible church that seems to get on all the postcards
is the Russian Orthodox St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral with its onion domes.
Several of the medieval buildings house museums: Epping Tower has a collection of
medieval arms and armor, the 15th-century Great Guild Hall houses the Estonian History
Museum, a 14th century merchant's mansion is home to the Tallinn City Museum, and
Fat Margaret's cannon tower from 1530 is now the Maritime Museum.
One of the most popular attractions is Kiek en de Kök, an imposing tower on the
slopes of Toompea Hill. Its basement connects with a network of tunnels beneath
the bastions. There's enough of interest here that I'll be dedicating a whole post
to this place later in the series.
As you can see from the photos, I visited Tallinn this February. While I only saw
about five minutes of blue sky in the six days I was there, and it snowed every
day, there are advantages to visiting in the dead of winter. First, prices of hotels
and flights plummet and you can pick your dates without having to worry about getting
a place. This makes it a good
budget travel option for
those who don't mind a bit of cold.
If you're coming from England, you're in luck. Ryaniar flies to Tallinn from Luton,
and easyJet flies from Gatwick. There are also regular connections from Munich,
Helsinki, and other important cities.
Tallinn makes a good budget option whatever the season. Old Town is compact enough
that you don't need to pay for transport, and a
Tallinn Card gets you free
tours and free entry into all the sites. Being so compact you can see a lot of the
city in one day, making the card well worth the money. The
cost
of the card is 24 euros for 24 hours, 32 euros for 48 hours, and 40 euros for 72
hours. Children up to 14 years get the card for half price. The card comes with
a good city map and guidebook.
Sean McLachlan
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