Cobblestone streets, countless spire towers pointing to the sky, gates and towers rising between the walls. Although it may sound cliché, anyone who wants to walk through a city and feel like they are in the middle of a fairy tale should visit Tallinn.
The capital of Estonia is one of the best preserved medieval cities in Europe. Its historic center was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and is one of the most pleasant to walk around, take photos and feel part of a cozy and warm setting, even in the coldest months.
In medieval times, Tallinn was an important medieval port linking the sea route between Europe and Russia. Its great economic development led to the construction of merchants’ mansions, churches and monuments that currently form a charming and compact architectural complex. The visitor can easily stroll through the old quarter, tour the walls, visit the towers and churches and then finish the national pastime, having a coffee with a cinnamon roll. In addition, it is a vibrant capital that is immersed in modernity, with areas with avant-garde architecture and a rich cultural life.
In the 14th century, when Denmark sold northern Estonia to the Teutonic order, it became a first-rate Hanseatic city. At that time, its two great centers of gravity were already glimpsed: on the hill, called Toompea, the power of the knights and the bishop remained, and in the lower city the German merchants and artisans settled, who protected themselves by building a fortified wall. . The same wall that can now be walked around, leaving your cell phone without battery, taking as many photos as possible with different perspectives of the town’s silhouette.
Tallinn can be very busy with tourists, especially when a cruise ship docks in its port, but it still maintains its calm and elegant character. Even the souvenir shops seem to respect the facades so that you can admire the beauty of the medieval buildings.
To enter the lower city, the most beautiful thing is to cross the Virnu gate, open in the wall and flanked by two conical towers. Another example of a fairy tale scenario come true. The gateway to the street of the same name, and in the alleys adjacent to the wall, new craftsmen gather, binding books or blowing glass with traditional techniques, and recalling the life of the medieval craftsmen who had their workshops in those same premises.
In the lower city all roads lead to Raekoja Square, where the Town Hall stands, a monumental Gothic construction, and where the buildings, merchants’ mansions and medieval shops, have facades decorated in pastel tones, giving the complex even more photogenic.
The Town Hall can be visited to admire its wooden friezes and intricate columns, but the most attractive thing is to climb the tower, which is 64 meters high and offers panoramic views. In the square, one of the most unique buildings is the one that housed the pharmacy, the oldest still operational in Europe. It is not known for sure when it was opened, but in 1422 it was already under its third owner. The pharmacy is still open to anyone who needs medicine or plasters, while admiring the curious interior and the pieces that form a small museum.
Pikk Street is the liveliest and the one with the most monumental buildings. The brotherhood of the “blackheads” (the single German merchants who gathered there to celebrate their holidays), the guild house, small hidden courtyards, narrow churches and even the sad rooms of the KGB prison, remember the history of Tallinn.
The union headquarters, currently part of the history museum, as well as the Catholic and Orthodox churches, decorate the lower city, although the greatest charm lies in wandering around and getting lost in the nooks and crannies of the cobbled streets. The 16th century cannon tower called “Fat Margaret” reminds how necessary it was to protect the entrance to the lower city. At the other end, in the wide Liberty Square, previously used to welcome “spontaneous” crowds enthusiastic about the Soviet regime, it now hosts concerts and commemorates the war of independence.
The upper part of the capital, the hilltop citadel of Toompea, was the fiefdom of medieval nobles and clerics, who literally looked down on the merchants living in the lower town. Now, almost all of its monuments are government buildings, embassies and churches, and allow you to stroll at a slower pace than the tourist hustle and bustle of the streets below.
In this area, the Lutheran Church of Saint Mary and, above all, the magnificent Orthodox Cathedral of Alexander Nevsky stand out. It was completed in 1900, as part of the Baltic Russification project. Its icons and frescoes, and its peaceful atmosphere are notable.
The remains of Toompea Castle, from the time of the Hanseatic League, dominate the hill, with three towers that have survived well, and of which the famous Pikk Hermann stands out, a symbol for Estonians as a place of resistance and strength. Also very famous is the tower with the curious name of Kiek in de Kök, which means “spying on the kitchen”. From their height the watchmen could gossip about the kitchens of the lower city. In reality, it is an impressive five-story cannon tower, built in the 15th century. It can be visited as part of the City Museum, which focuses on the defense of Tallinn, the military history of the area, and ancient weapons.
It is impressive to tour the walls and its different bastions to understand the history of Tallinn. Nine of the 26 defense towers are linked in the Kiek in de Kök area, completing a route between battlements and armor.
Different points of view offer spectacular panoramic views of the capital’s skyline. Although you have to wait in line to take a photo, especially at sunset, it is worth it to take home a souvenir of this storybook setting.
To rest from all that walking, visitors can enjoy the varied cuisine of the area, inspired by its status as a crossroads between cultures. Nordic recipes, Russian recipes and products from the forest and farms so characteristic of Baltic cuisine come together to offer varied and tasty menus. And to rest, mid-morning or mid-afternoon, there is nothing better than a coffee with some of the ubiquitous sweet products, from cinnamon buns to apple pies.