Tallinn Old Town

Background

Tallinn Old Town lies in the centre of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland. It is divided into the Upper Town (Toompea) on the hill and the Lower Town below, and is ringed by medieval walls and towers. In 1997 the Old Town was inscribed on the World Heritage List as the “Historic Centre (Old Town) of Tallinn” (No. 822bis); the heritage area covers 113 hectares, with a buffer zone of 2,253 hectares. The Old Town fully preserves its 13th-century city plan, and most of its buildings date from the 13th to the 16th century. Sights include Town Hall Square and the Gothic Town Hall (completed in 1402–1404 and said to be the oldest town hall in the Baltic region and Scandinavia; the “Old Thomas” weathervane on its spire dates back to 1530); the Town Hall Pharmacy, in business in the same building since the early 15th century and one of the oldest continuously operating pharmacies in Europe; St Olaf's Church, St Nicholas' Church (now a museum) and the Church of the Holy Spirit; wall towers and gates such as Fat Margaret, the Great Coastal Gate and Viru Gate; Toompea Castle, now the seat of the Estonian Parliament, and Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (1900); and the Three Sisters merchants' houses and St Catherine's Passage. The name Tallinn is commonly derived from the Estonian for “Danish castle” (Taani linn), after King Valdemar II of Denmark conquered the site in 1219. Tallinn joined the Hanseatic League in 1285 and was an important Hanseatic trading centre from the 13th to the 16th century; in 1346 Denmark sold it to the Teutonic Order, and it later came under Swedish and then Russian rule. Estonia became independent in 1918, was occupied first by the Soviet Union and then by Germany from 1940, and regained independence in 1991. The Upper Town was the seat of the church, the nobility and the rulers, while the Lower Town belonged to merchant guilds and craftsmen; the contrast between them is a physical record of the medieval social order.

Local customs

• Enter the Lower Town on foot through Viru Gate and follow the cobbled streets to Town Hall Square
• climb the Town Hall tower or walk the city-wall walkway for views over the red roofs
• look out over the Lower Town and the harbour from the Toompea viewpoints
• step into the Town Hall Pharmacy and St Nicholas' Church
• walk through St Catherine's Passage to see the craft workshops
• dine around Town Hall Square in the evening.

Travel tips

• The Old Town is explored entirely on foot, with many cobbled streets and slopes between the Upper and Lower Towns, so wear comfortable non-slip shoes
• climb the walls and towers only as far as you feel able
• in winter the pavements can ice over, so watch your step. Opening arrangements for museums and towers follow on-site notices and official announcements.
• The Old Town is the centre of Tallinn, and the railway station (Balti jaam) is a short walk to the west
• trams run to interchange points in the city centre
• ferries to Helsinki leave from the port area, not from the Old Town. For specific routes, fares and timetables, check the latest local official information. Summer (usually June–August) has long daylight hours and is best for strolling and climbing
• in winter there is a Christmas market on Town Hall Square, and the Old Town is lovely after snow, though cold and slippery
• spring and autumn bring fewer visitors and suit a closer look at the buildings.