3rd Oct 2016
It was a lovely sunny day and the start point was Freedom Square (left) at the southern point of the Old Town, the medieval 'jewel' of Estonia. The Square is used for all sorts of entertainment and the monument (above) stands just above one of the former town's gates. It was built to commemorate the Estonian War of Independence.
Right: Alexander Nevsky Orthodox Cathedral. A rather elaborate onion-domed Russian Orthodox little chapel. This town has more churches than you can throw a stick at.
Inside of which are strikingly lavish frescoes and icons (left). I only discovered that photos are prohibited after taking this one. Sorry!
Right: One of many 'Glogg' stalls dotted around the town. Gluwein by any other name. I tried some and found it rather too sweet for my taste.
The route took me past several 'lookouts' from the castle ramparts over the lower city. This one (left), Patkul Lookout, offered decent views to the north towards the sea.
Many delightful cafés/bars/brasseries were established on most streets. Although sunny, it was a little chilly but this did not seem to deter drinking and dining 'al fresco'.
Right: Another part of the fortified wall. Along the gallery on top was a café. To get to which, and I did, involved climbing a very steep narrow staircase aided by a chain rail to pull on. If you met someone coming down you had a traffic problem. I also noted that the steps here, and in this town in general are often remarkably high; perhaps early Estonians had very long legs and, with the low roofs, very short bodies. An interesting anthropomorphical question.
The Short Leg gate tower is considered to be haunted by a crucified monk and a black dog with burning eyes. I didn't see any sign of the dog....but had a chat with the monk.
Left: The Lower Town Wall, on the west side of the town. All these bits of city wall are remarkably well restored.
Right: St Olaf's Cathedral. Another large church with a pointy spire. I forked out 3 Euros to climb up the tower. Why? Because it was there. 221 very high and steep steps.,,,.yes, I counted. Very knackering. Anyway, good views from a narrow viewing platform around the top.
....and to the South. May have shown this earlier but worth repeating because it shows where I walked from...over the high bit.
The Great Coast Gate. Noted for it;s impressive architecture and coat-of-arms on this side. An elaborate ancient carved wooden crucifix is on the other.
Left: The former KGB Headquarters at 59 Pikk now, I presume, private apartments. Bricked up basement windows were to prevent the sounds being heard from the street. Locals joked that this building had the best views in Estonia...all the way to Siberia.
On the front wall is a plaque which translates 'This building housed the headquarters of the organ of repression of the Soviet occupational power. Here began the road to suffering for thousands of Estonians'.
Left: Also along Pikk are several 16th/17th/18th century Guild Halls. One of these is known as the 'Brotherhood of Blackheads'. Don't ask.
Right: The oldest coffee house in Tallinn, and a very pleasant pit-stop it was. Good sticky buns, proper coffee and excellent service. None of your naff 'Americanos' etc. Just large or small coffee, cappuccino or espresso.
Back to the Town Hall Square for a beer in one of the surrounding bars.
Left: A typical narrow cobbly street.....and we are nearly at the end!
...and into the modern world. Left: Part of the extensive shopping mall around the Viru Hotel.
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| Monument to the War of Independence |
After a hearty breakfast at the Schnelli, I decided to do the walk around the old town as described in my Lonely Planet (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) guide book (page 59 if you want a reference). Actually the breakfast was slightly spoilt as when the coffee ran out and I politely asked one of the serving girls for more the answer was a curt "no, we have no more". The Soviet style still lingers in places.
It was a lovely sunny day and the start point was Freedom Square (left) at the southern point of the Old Town, the medieval 'jewel' of Estonia. The Square is used for all sorts of entertainment and the monument (above) stands just above one of the former town's gates. It was built to commemorate the Estonian War of Independence.
Walking around the cobbly medieval streets it was pleasantly apparent that the busy tourist season was coming to an end. Very few cars in this part of town and the pedestrians I saw, whether tourists or locals, appeared smartly dressed and very well behaved. It definitely had a tranquil and, indeed, elegant feel to it, and the streets were so clean. I suspect I probably lowered the tone bit.
Right: One of the small cafés overllooking Freedom Square.
Left: The Keik in de Kok, built as a canon tower in 1475 overlooks the southern gate. It is now a museum with a café on top. The walls of Toompea castle in the background. Up there is housed Estonia's Parliament.
Right: Alexander Nevsky Orthodox Cathedral. A rather elaborate onion-domed Russian Orthodox little chapel. This town has more churches than you can throw a stick at. 
Inside of which are strikingly lavish frescoes and icons (left). I only discovered that photos are prohibited after taking this one. Sorry!
Right: One of many 'Glogg' stalls dotted around the town. Gluwein by any other name. I tried some and found it rather too sweet for my taste.
The route took me past several 'lookouts' from the castle ramparts over the lower city. This one (left), Patkul Lookout, offered decent views to the north towards the sea.
Right: I didn't go in, so not well informed about the Estonian Drinking Culture. I wonder if there are any museums dedicated to the British Drinking Culture? They certainly have a reputation for it in this town. I suspect a display of broken bar stools, smashed up pubs, comatose lager louts and police charge sheets is not something they wish to advertise.
Many delightful cafés/bars/brasseries were established on most streets. Although sunny, it was a little chilly but this did not seem to deter drinking and dining 'al fresco'.
Right: Another part of the fortified wall. Along the gallery on top was a café. To get to which, and I did, involved climbing a very steep narrow staircase aided by a chain rail to pull on. If you met someone coming down you had a traffic problem. I also noted that the steps here, and in this town in general are often remarkably high; perhaps early Estonians had very long legs and, with the low roofs, very short bodies. An interesting anthropomorphical question.
Left: The café along the top. Rather expensive, but once you had struggled up there you were somewhat committed to accepting the price. I expect deliveries were expensive too.
The Short Leg gate tower is considered to be haunted by a crucified monk and a black dog with burning eyes. I didn't see any sign of the dog....but had a chat with the monk.
Left: The Lower Town Wall, on the west side of the town. All these bits of city wall are remarkably well restored.
Right: St Olaf's Cathedral. Another large church with a pointy spire. I forked out 3 Euros to climb up the tower. Why? Because it was there. 221 very high and steep steps.,,,.yes, I counted. Very knackering. Anyway, good views from a narrow viewing platform around the top.
......view to the North and out to sea in the direction of Finland, 50 miles away. The port here is host to many cruise liners.
....and to the South. May have shown this earlier but worth repeating because it shows where I walked from...over the high bit.
Left: Inside the church. I only took this because I was fascinated to see so many video screens in situ. There was one behind every large pillar. Nobody was going to miss out on seeing the vicar.
The Great Coast Gate. Noted for it;s impressive architecture and coat-of-arms on this side. An elaborate ancient carved wooden crucifix is on the other.
Left: The former KGB Headquarters at 59 Pikk now, I presume, private apartments. Bricked up basement windows were to prevent the sounds being heard from the street. Locals joked that this building had the best views in Estonia...all the way to Siberia.
On the front wall is a plaque which translates 'This building housed the headquarters of the organ of repression of the Soviet occupational power. Here began the road to suffering for thousands of Estonians'.
Left: Also along Pikk are several 16th/17th/18th century Guild Halls. One of these is known as the 'Brotherhood of Blackheads'. Don't ask.
Right: The oldest coffee house in Tallinn, and a very pleasant pit-stop it was. Good sticky buns, proper coffee and excellent service. None of your naff 'Americanos' etc. Just large or small coffee, cappuccino or espresso.
Left: The Great Guild Hall, on Pikk, It is mentioned in all the guide books, so I do, and houses a museum. It looks pretty boring from the outside and the museum (5 Euros) featuring things from the City Guild days plus a rather uninteresting collection of old coins and a poorly displayed arsenal, is, frankly, nothing to write home about.
Back to the Town Hall Square for a beer in one of the surrounding bars.
Left: A typical narrow cobbly street.....and we are nearly at the end!
Right: Finally the last gate, the Viru Gate. Go out of this and you enter the modern high-rise commercial city centre to the east. The tall building ahead is the Viru Hotel. This 23 storey hotel was, during Soviet days, the only hotel in Tallinn where foreigners could stay. It made life easier for the Soviets to keep an eye on them. It is now a normal 3/4 star hotel.
...and into the modern world. Left: Part of the extensive shopping mall around the Viru Hotel.
I thought I was going to get to the end of this walk blessed without seeing one, but woe, no such luck. Just approaching the Vinu Gate there it was....a bloody MacDonalds! Aaaargh! The scourge of world health. St Ronald MacDonald, the patron saint of the obese and diabetics.
That took in most of Old Tallinn. Got a couple more places to visit tomorrow before heading south.
Chin chin.
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