A Town Hall in Tallinn
What city has a Town Hall that’s been operating in the same place for five hundred and eighty-eight years? Tallinn, Estonia, is the answer, a city that dates back to the 11th Century, with a modern population of over four hundred thousand, which enjoys cobbled streets that wind through the city’s historic center; this walled city contains two parts: Lower Town and Old Town. Lower Town operated separately from Toompea Hill, which belonged to the aristocracy; the Old Town, well preserved, largely complete, contains stone buildings designed to act defensively, protecting the city over the centuries from various invasions. The Old Town contains that long-running Town Hall, also known as Raekoda, complete with a square and pharmacy; there are plenty of churches here, too. You may find, in fact, the tallest church in Medieval Europe, St. Olav’s, which was built sometime in the 13th Century. The Old Town fortresses and walls are the main reason the place is till here, and of its time, in the 16th Century, one of the most fortified cities in Northern Europe.
The landmark you’ll note first on Toompea Hill is the Alexander Nevsky Russian Orthodox Cathedral. If you walk past St. Catherine’s passage, between Muurivahe and Vene Streets, you can take in the Medieval atmosphere. There’s studios here where craftsmen and artists have worked for hundreds of years.
Once you’ve checked in to one of the hotels Tallinn offers its visitors, you’ll find a number of activities available. If you pick up a Tallinn Tourist Card, you’ll be able to get into museums for free, ride the public transport for free, and take free tours.
In addition to the Medieval structures, you’ll also find the Russian emperor’s summer palace, Kadriorg Palace, along the coast; you’ll also find St. Olaf’s Church and its two towers, Kiek in de Kok and Fat Margaret. In Tallinn, there’s also an Open Air Museum, which contains over seventy buildings that show you Estonian life under the Tsar’s reign, while a Museum of Occupation, shows life under the Nazi regime.
This eight hundred year old city has a great deal to offer, both in its Old Town, and in its Kadriorg District. Like Ghent in Belgium, it’s a city that anyone with an interest in Medieval history must see.
Related posts: