Excursion tour in Tallinn. Top architecture - monuments, castles, temples and palaces

Tallinn Tallinn Town Hall, St. Olaf Church, Tallinn TV Tower, and Estonian Maritime Museum are the main candidates that compete for the title of the major architectural symbol of Tallinn. Just like in the first part of the guide, you can watch each monument by viewing its colorful 3D model in the Tallinn flyover video on the left. Don’t forget to access our photo gallery and an overview of interesting facts regarding every monument. The map of the most important architecture sights of Tallinn (located below this guide) will help you to create your own sightseeing tour through Tallinn.

Tallinn Town Hall, Tallinn

Location on the map:   Facts:
» The city management of medieval Tallinn (Revel at that time) is aged over 600 years. The single-storied limestone building was first mentioned in the written source in 1322.
» The Town Hall was equipped and widened at the end of the 14th century. Then, the second floor with audience halls was built. The tower was then constructed. In 1530, the vane called “Old Thomas” was attached.
» The weirs resemble copper dragons’ heads. The basement of the Town Hall serves as a wine cellar. Alcohol sales brought a huge profit to the city. The windows in the basement have stepped sills. There is also a preserved fireplace. There is a burger-ish hall or a lobby above it. Festive events were held and foreign actors performed here.
» The room is well illuminated. You can see Christmas patterns on the piles that uphold the vault. There are municipal arms above the front door.
» The part of the building is occupied by the Master’s Hall. The Town Government sat and court hearings were held here. The red walls with pictures of coat hearings prove this.
» There is a preserved brick chimney of the 19th century and a hole for hand washing in the kitchen. The sewerage system has been also preserved to this day.
» The Town Hall is a place where treasures worked. Later, the city mayor occupied the room.

St. Olaf Church, Tallinn

Location on the map:   Facts:
» As the preserved archives say, the church was built in 1267 as a Catholic construction and belonged to nuns from the convent.
» The building was struck by lightning 8 times. It was on fire during a thunderstorm several times. After the fire in the middle of the 19th century, its area reduced to 123 m.
»  The spire served as a pointer for sailors.
» The King of Norway was canonized for his godly deeds here. St. Olaf Church is named after him.
» The building was reconstructed in the 15th century. It started to look like a basilica with rectangular pillars.
» The Chapel of the Virgin Mary was built in a hundred years. There is a spiral staircase leading to the observation platform. 232 steps have different heights, which hinders the ascent.
» 1950 has seen the consolidation of seven religious communities under the arches of the temple.
» The church is distinguished by intersecting carcass arches that make a geometric pattern of stars. There is the St. Olaf bas-relief behind the altar. There is a preserved slab that reminds of the public figure and instigator of the construction.
» The Biblical words are engraved on the symbolic grave of Christ. Church services are held here.

Tallinn TV Tower, Tallinn

Location on the map:   Facts:
» The TV Tower was opened in 1980 in commemoration of the Olympic Games. It broadcast sports events. Its intended purpose is to provide communication equipment for receiving TV and radio signals.
» Excursions around the building have been held since 2012.
» The Tallinn TV Tower is built of concrete and iron and resembles a trunk that is 190 m high. 124-meter iron mast is attached to it.
» On the ground and 1st floors of the hall, you can see pictures of the building process and visit a gift shop. There is a conference hall, a cinema, and stands dedicated to the country and the capital.
» You can use the high-speed lift with a height sensor.
» There is an outdoor observation platform in the shape of the horseshoe with field glasses and interactive displays. It is located at the 21st level (170 m from the ground) and protected by the fine iron mesh. Here, you can read copies of newspapers about the putsch of 1991.
» If you get up the spiral stairs to the 21st level, you will find an outdoor terrace with a small cafe.
» You can look through the glass hole in the floor and see 80 m of empty space under your feet.
» Fans of extreme are offered to go round the tower for half an hour at a height using special ropes.

Estonian Maritime Museum, Tallinn

Location on the map:   Facts:
» In the Maritime Museum, you can learn more about the secrets of the port service, equipment of seaworthy ships, artifacts found on the sea bottom, and the history of voyages. The Museum is located in the Fat Margaret Tower and in the hangar of the Air Harbour on the sea coast.
» You can observe the entire Tallinn port from the upper level of the tower. At the 4th level, there are tracking devices, the collection of sea navigation maps, fishing traps, archival documents and pictures, ships’ models, and the collection of naval mines.
» In Lennusadam (the harbor), you can see real seaplanes, working warships, and the oldest schooner in the country. The steam icebreaker (1914), the biggest exhibit, is moored to the berth. Tourists can taste dishes from the ship galley.
» The remains of the old ship that was constructed without any nails at all will also attract attention. You can inspect the “Lembit” Submarine from the inside.
» One of the collections pays tribute to “Estonia” Ferry sinking in 1994. Its model is kept here.
» You can see the records of bottom researches made by the robot on big screens in the Interactive Underwater Archaeology Museum. The excursion will end with the visiting of the huge aquarium.
Tallinn - guide chapters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Plan your own tour over Tallinn on the monuments map

More to see in Tallinn
The majority of historic places of interest are located in the territory of Old Town. Town Hall Square is considered the center of the historic district of Tallinn. Near the square one can see not only many beautiful old buildings, but also numerous restaurants and cafes. The Town Hall building is located just a few steps away from the square. This is a magnificent building in the Gothic style. Opposite the Town Hall is located one more prominent landmark - the oldest pharmacy in the world, which opened in 1422. Nowadays a part of the pharmacy is converted into a museum, which exhibits ancient medicines and pharmaceutical equipment. You will find a huge number of observation platforms in Tallinn. Make sure you visit at least one as the city looks especially beautiful from a bird's-eye. One of the observation areas is located near Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, and another popular observation deck is located next to Dome Church. St. Olaf’s Church is another important religious attraction. The beautiful building was built in the middle of the 13th century. The church was always famous for its wonderfully decorated rooms, but in 1524 almost all precious items and artifacts were lost during heavy riots in the city. Oddly enough, but during many centuries the appearance of the church has almost not been damaged and nowadays this is the same grand and stern Gothic building, just like many centuries ago. Toompea Castle is surely among the architectural monuments that are worth … Read further

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