Tallinn, Estonia

With only 9 hours scheduled at this port, we were able to fit a lot into our day due to the historic district’s location near the cruise terminal.  A 15-minute walk had us at Fat Margaret’s Tower, the beginning of Old Town.  Origins for the name are unknown, but this structure was a defense tower built in the early 1500s to protect against attacks from the sea.  Built in the Middle Ages, almost one mile of the original town wall is also still intact.  Many of the buildings within the town were constructed between the 13th and 16th centuries, and are remarkably well-preserved.  

For the next several hours we wandered around and through “Old Town”. We were accompanied by maybe 10,000 other tourists. Two other large cruise ships were in port at the same time, so it seemed that everyone had descended into the small, historic area.  Still though, we were able to find some peaceful alleyways, parks, and squares. Originally, two cities were located here, Vanalinn (Old Town) and then up the hill, Toompea. From the top of Toompea, visitors can overlook not only the Old Town but the modern city of Tallinn.

One of the world’s oldest pharmacies is in the town square and has been open since 1422.  The present-day Tallinn Town Hall was completed in 1404, its predecessor had been built in 1322. Located on the town square and decorated with dragon-like gargoyles, it has an impressive presence. It is still used for governmental, ceremonial, and cultural events, and is open for public tours for a small charge. 

We frequently concentrate our visits to historic districts due to time constraints.  But, Estonia is a technologically savvy country with some dramatic, creative architecture, if you overlook structures built during the Soviet occupation.  Russia has had a substantial impact on the country, and around 25% of the residents are of Russian descent.  One of the buildings we saw during our visit had been the KGB interrogation site and prison.  It is now open as a museum.  Having been freed from Soviet domination following WW I, following WW II the country was once again taken over by the USSR.  The country just received its 2nd independence from Russia in 1991 and moved quickly into the 21st century.  Most parts of Tallinn have public wifi available, and this is where Skype was created.  All of the schools have been online for over two decades.

During our walkabout, we came upon a political demonstration at the Stenbock House.  This is the workplace of the Prime Minister and the State Chancellery.  A few dozen people with placards were protesting against the EKRE, a far-right (neo-Nazi) party that now holds several seats in the government.

Though many restaurants were overrun, we found a place offering traditional Estonian food.  I opted for beetroot soup, and Alan enjoyed a “witch’s casserole” of potatoes, mushrooms, and cheese, both were wonderful.

In spite of the crowds, we enjoyed our brief visit to this small country.