Tallinn Old Town

Tallinn Old Town

Tallinn Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best-preserved medieval city centres in Northern Europe, a Hanseatic trading town whose Gothic limestone towers and cobblestone lanes rise dramatically above the Baltic Sea on the northern coast of Estonia.

History

Danish forces built a castle here in 1219, and the town — then known as Reval — joined the Hanseatic League in 1285, growing into a major Baltic trading hub for wool, fur, and grain. The town was ruled successively by Danes, Germans, Swedes, and Russians before Estonian independence in 1918. Two distinct historic zones survive intact: Toompea Hill (the upper town, seat of noble and ecclesiastical power) and the Lower Town (the mercantile quarter). Tallinn served as European Capital of Culture in 2011 and its Old Town was inscribed on the UNESCO list in 1997.

What to See

Toompea Castle now houses the Estonian Parliament (Riigikogu); Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (1900) towers beside it in Russian Revival style. The Lower Town’s Town Hall Square (Raekoja plats) is ringed by medieval guild houses and anchor the lively summer market. The 15th-century Viru Gate and the circuit of medieval towers — including Fat Margaret and Tall Hermann — define the skyline. St Olaf’s Church was reportedly the tallest building in the world in the 16th century.

Getting There

Tallinn is the capital of Estonia on the Gulf of Finland. The international airport is 4 km from the old town (tram connection). Ferries run daily from Helsinki (2 hours) and Stockholm (overnight). Train and bus connections link to Riga and Vilnius.

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