From Soviet-era museums and towers, to quaint cobbled streets and Old Town churches, Tallinn, Estonia’s vibrant capital has much to offer visitors. Boasting one of the best preserved historical centres in Europe, Tallinn also has plenty of modern attractions as you’ll discover with our top ten list.
10. Tallinn TV Tower
flickr/Tallinn Tourism
Choose a fine day to get the best out of your visit to Tallinn TV Tower in the suburb of Pirita. This 314 metre structure was built to give better reception for the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. It is officially the tallest building in the city, and provides 360 degree views of Tallinn and across to the Gulf of Finland. Other features of the tower to make it worth a visit are the cafe-restaurant, a vertigo inducing glass floor platform, an interactive media display and bullet holes from a Soviet Coup in 1991 in the tower’s base.
9. KGB Museum
flickr/Quenby Swinson-Mitchell
It seems every state once oppressed under Soviet rule has a former KGB headquarters and Estonia is no exception. Tallinn’s version is located on the top floor of the Veru Hotel and can be visited by tour guide only. Containing spy equipment and paraphernalia connected with the KGB during 1972 to 1991, it’s a fascinating glimpse into the Soviet era.
8. Oleviste Church
For the best views of the Old Town, head to Oleviste Church, which is nearly 125 metres high. This Middle Ages landmark was built in 1250 and is still used for Baptist and Methodist services. The tourist drawcard however, is the 360 degree views of the city but you’ll need to be fit, there are around 250 stairs to the viewing platform and only one rest stop.
7. Estonian Open Air Museum
flickr/Merlen Aringo
Head west to the quiet outskirts of Tallinn and district of Rocca al Mare. Here you’ll find the Estonian Open Air Museum, a park set in the forest consisting of a village type setup. It gives a real sense of Estonia from a bygone era as you wander around the farm buildings and sample traditional foods, and learn about the ways people lived and worked. A very family-friendly day out, with themed fairs and games, dances and songs.
6. Kumu Art Museum
flickr/jaime.silva
A large slice of modernity in Tallinn’s Kadriog Park is the Kumu Art Museum. This sharp angled museum opened in 2006 and won the ‘European Museum of the Year Award’ in 2008. It’s one of the biggest art museums in Northern Europe and houses a permanent collection of Estonian art from the 18th century to the present day. Temporary exhibitions of modern and contemporary art from Estonia and abroad are also shown.
5. Kadriorg Park
flickr/Mundus Gregorius
You can’t visit Tallinn without taking a stroll around Kadriorg Park, formal palatial gardens in the centre of the city. Covering an area of around 70 hectares, this early 18th century park commissioned by Tsar Peter I also has elements of design from the 19th and 20th centuries. Kadriog Park is best seen in spring for its stunning flower beds around the Swan Pond and the promenade to the president’s palace. A number of museums and monuments in the park also make it worthwhile visiting.
4. Lennusadam Seaplane Harbour
flickr/Dmitri Korobtsov
The Lennusadem Seaplane Harbour holds the record for currently being the most visited museum in Tallinn. The museum is uniquely housed in seaplane hangars and offers a fresh perspective on Estonia’s maritime history. It’s also highly interactive with a submarine you can climb aboard, flight simulators that give you an aerial view of Tallinn, and the icebreaker steam ship Suur Tõll to explore.
3. Town Hall Square
flickr/Shahid Ali Khan
Tallinn’s delightful Town Hall Square is beautifully preserved and well worth a visit. With plenty of restaurants and cafés for refreshments, it makes a good pit stop if you’ve been exploring the Old Town. It also has a working pharmacy that’s the oldest in the world, and is said to be the place where the first Christmas tree was erected in 1441. For a quieter visit, go earlier in the day when there are less tourists.
2. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
flickr/TOTORORO.RORO
The distinctive onion domes of Alexander Nevsky Cathedral outlined against the sky make for a great photo opportunity. This Russian Orthodox church on Toompea Hill in Tallinn, has a beautiful richly decorated interior of mosaics, gold leaf and paintings. The cathedral is Tallinn’s largest and has a clanging collection of 11 bells which can be heard in full chime at the beginning of each service.
1. Toompea Hill
flickr/Allan Alajaan
Rising from the centre of Tallinn, Toompea Hill is historically the place where the city is ruled from. The seat of Government is located in Stenbock House, while Parliament is housed in Toompea Castle. The castle is a mix of medieval and 18th century additions, as well as other architectural modifications. A good reason for visiting Toompea Hill is for the viewing platforms which offer excellent views of the city.
No comments:
Post a Comment