There is a stunning city on the world map, to which you want to return to stroll through familiar places, looking at everything to the smallest detail, making new discoveries for yourself. Spending a couple of weekends in the fabulous city of Tallinn is very little, not even a month is enough to explore all the beauties of this region. Estonia's main pearl looks like an open-air museum, thanks to its atmosphere and mystery.
Excursion into the history of Tallinn
In the northern part of Estonia, on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, there is a wonderful city with an amazing atmosphere and a long history, called Tallinn. Once in the capital of Estonia, it seems as if time has stopped. A huge number of ancient fortresses and towers, buildings in the Gothic style, return you to the Middle Ages. After all, it was then, in 1154, that the settlement of Kolyvan (the modern name of Tallinn) became known, which was discovered by the Arab traveler Muhammad al-Idris.
In 1219, Denmark captured the settlement of Lindanise (another name for Tallinn) and renamed it Revel. The economic rise and development of the Ancient City took place in the 15-16th century. At this time, interesting architectural monuments and other cultural values began to appear. In 1561, the Swedish king took over the city of Revel, from that moment it became an important economic center, which surpassed Stockholm in terms of trade. In the period from 1568 to 1577, the city was repeatedly attacked by various troops, such as the Polish fleet, the army of the Danish Prince Magnus, the Russian regiment, which led the settlement into decay. The city is turning from a large shopping center into a province.
in 1710, the Russian army, practically without a fight, captured Revel in the Northern War. The reason for the defeat was the plague, which claimed more than 15 thousand lives. At the end of the war, the city was gradually rebuilt. In 1871, the construction of the Baltic Railway was completed, which led to a significant increase in trade and the economy of Reval reached a new level. At the end of the 19th century, industrial plants were erected, such enterprises as "Volta", "Dvigatel", "Baltic Manufactory" appeared. In 1918, Estonia was proclaimed an independent state, and Tallinn became its capital. During World War II, from the end of 11941 to 1944, Tallinn was occupied by German troops. In 1944, Soviet power ruled in Estonia. After the collapse of the USSR, in August 1991, Estonia became an independent state. Today Tallinn is the capital of a modern state, a tourist center with great potential.
Interesting facts and sights of Tallinn
To get into a special mood and plunge into history, start your journey from the Old Town. After walking along the fabulous streets of ancient places, you will want to return to the shore of the Gulf of Finland more than once. The old town is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, where there are a huge number of cathedrals, towers, merchant houses, crooked streets with dead ends and old back streets.
- Town Hall Square - it is considered the main one, where various festivals take place. In the center of the square there is a wind rose with five spiers of the Old Town: Oleviste Church, Dome Cathedral, Town Hall, Niguliste Church and the bell tower of the Church of the Holy Spirit. They say that if you make a wish, casting a glance at the tops of buildings, then it will certainly come true.
- The ruins of the Dominican Monastery of St. Catherine is a Catholic cathedral that was founded in the 13th century.
- It is worth paying attention to the tower "Fat Margaret" - founded in the 16th century, it was named for its dimensions: 20 meters high and 25 meters in diameter. In the 19th century it was used for keeping prisoners.
- If you are a lover of the marine theme, take a day off to visit the Maritime Museum. Various expositions are presented here: archaeological finds from the depths of the Baltic Sea, diving equipment of past centuries and a lot of interesting things.
- Visit the open-air museum park located in the northwest of Tallinn. It contains 45 thousand exhibits of farm life, starting from the 18th century.
