Before I arrived in Estonia, I knew that I knew almost nothing about this country. I knew this is where Skype was invented, that former pro cyclist Jaan Kirsipuu hails from here, and that it was once part of the USSR. After one full day just wandering around Tallinn's Old Town, I am starting to understand just how much I don't know.
Estonia is one of those countries that has been passed around between its neighbors like cheap Tupperware. During the last five hundred years, Estonia has been constantly invaded or occupied by Denmark, Poland, Germany, Sweden, and Russia. And when this small country wasn't already occupied or invaded, it seems like it was fighting off would be invaders and occupiers.
The city of Tallinn was founded when the nearby hill fort of Iru was abandoned after being the prime defense for locals from the sixth to eleventh centuries. The people relocated to a hill that sat upon a limestone cliff on the Baltic Sea and laid the foundations for Tallinn.
One of the oldest standing buildings is a tower called Kiek en de Kök (“peek in the kitchen” in Low German) because from its height, soldiers could see into kitchens across town. At one time, thirty six towers and gate towers existed along the city's wall, of which twenty one survive completely in tact today, plus a few more that have partially survived. The original construction of Kiek en de Kök lasted from 1475-1483 and it reached a height of thirty eight meters. Today the tower stands just shy of fifty meters tall and each of its six floors houses a different exhibit, including weapons, armor, torture devices and, of course, a cafe.
Connected to the towers is a series of three underground tunnels built under Swedish occupation. The tunnels were meant to store armor and weapons in the late 1600s but have played many roles over the last several hundred years. One piece of simple technology that stayed with me was a bowl of water sitting on the floor beneath two candles. A soldier was tasked with watching the water. If the water moved at all, it was from the vibrations of an invading army and meant that war was breaking out.
One of the times Russia occupied the city, Catherine the Great used the tunnels as a prison. She had a seventy one year old archbishop imprisoned in a closet sized cell in the wall. Except for a small opening where soldiers would give him food, the cell was completely bricked up. After he had survived these dark, damp conditions for four years, Catherine the Great ordered her soldiers to no longer feed the archbishop and he died of starvation.
When the Soviets bombed Tallinn in March of 1944, civilians took refuge in the tunnels. The tunnels survived undamaged, but the echoes and reverberations from the relentless bombing must have absolutely terrified the people as they imagined what was happening to their loved ones and city. They left the tunnels to find almost six hundred dead, another six hundred injured, and the city devastated.
In the 1980s, punks used the tunnels as a place to meet and listen to music without fear of the police. Even though it was forbidden to go in the tunnels, the police were not interested in chasing teenagers in dark, rat infested tunnels.
From the 1990s onward, homeless people moved in the tunnels. The temperature stayed a consistent 8-12 degrees celsius year round, a significant improvement from Tallinn's harsh winters. Each chamber had metal doors separating it from the next. In 2004, thieves entered the tunnels at night and stole every piece of metal. It was only because the homeless got scared and locked one of the last doors that a Soviet ventilation system from the 1950s has been preserved.
Above ground, I spent the day exploring the Old Town. I visited the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, a typical Russian style church complete with onion domes. The interior is richly decorated with patterns and designs painted on the walls and pillars, an ornate, gold altar piece, and high arched ceilings.
In stark contrast to the glitzy interior of Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is the Cathedral of St. Mary the Virgin. It's also known as Dome Church, which initially confused me as there is in fact no dome here, until I learned dome comes from a corruption of the German word for cathedral. The interior is stark and serious with dark coat of arms type pieces hanging on the austere walls.
I visited Fat Margaret, the sixteenth century tower connected to the Great Coast Gate which leads to the port. It's clear enough that the tower is squat and fat, but this makes me wonder how it got the name Margaret and if any of the other towers have names. Steve, perhaps?
As I passed by St. Olaf's Church, I noticed people standing at the top of the tower so I headed in, hoping to find a great view of the city. Sixty meters and 258 winding steps later, the entire city of Tallinn lay beneath my feet. I had a clear view of Old Town, the modern city, and the Baltic Sea.
Inside, the thirteenth century church is one of the few that allows photos. The interior was plain but elegant.
As I stepped back on to the street, I nearly fell over as my eyes tried to find the tip of the spire! Instead, Thanks to the narrow streets, it looked like the building across the street was sneaking up on me.
The town square and castle-like town hall.
The monument to Estonia's war of independence which lasted fom 1918 to 1920.
Toompea Castle is the home of Estonia's parliament.
St. Nicholas Cathedral.
No shortage of architecture to admire in Tallinn's Old Town.
