Old City (Tallinn) | |
State | Estonia |
---|---|
Region | Northern Estonia |
Old City (Vanalinn) is a neighborhood of Kesklinn, the central district of the city of Tallinn.
To know
How to orient yourself
Neighborhoods
The old city is made up of two distinct areas as follows:
- Lower town (All-linn) - Grouped around the town hall square (Raekoja platsla), the lower city is still surrounded by the moat and by the remains of the ancient walls around which well-kept public parks have been arranged and ideal for spending some time relaxing. One of the most famous streets in the lower city is Pikk, surrounded by the headquarters of the ancient guilds. The lower city was in fact the quarter of the merchants and artisans of old Tallinn at the service of the nobles and clergy perched on the hill of Toompea.
- Toompea - The upper town in the center of Tallinn stands on the Toompea hill which was once the fortified residence of the Estonian Knights and the Catholic bishops who succeeded the Lutheran ones after 1561. The name "Toompea" means "Cathedral Hill" and is characterized by cobbled streets, towers and medieval fortifications. The access to the upper city is still guarded by a tower from 1380. These defensive works were erected for protection from external enemies but also because the relations between nobles and merchants of the lower city were anything but cordial and marked by hostility. According to legend, the hill stands on the tomb of the mythical Estonian king Kalev but it is historically established that Toompea is the place where the Danish castle was built from which the city was born in 1219. Along the road leading to the fortress there are amber shops (merevaik) very popular with tourists, especially cruise passengers looking for souvenirs.
How to get
The trams of line 4 coming from the airport run along Viale Pärnu while those of line 2 border on the north side and then continue to the central station in Kalamaja.
How to get around
The old town is a pedestrian area so you can move around on foot. 1 Taxi parking they are located around the Kalev Spa hotel.
What see
Civil and military architectures
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/Tallinna_Raekoda_11-06-2013.jpg/220px-Tallinna_Raekoda_11-06-2013.jpg)
Town Hall
- 1 Town Hall (Tallinna raekoda), Raekoja plats, ☎ 372 6 457 900, 372 6 457 906, @[email protected].
From October to June the building can be visited by appointment via e-mail or the two telephone numbers listed, by writing or calling at least three days in advance. Groups, on the other hand, must submit the request 10 days before. To climb to the top of the tower you pay a separate price. Tallinn Town Hall is a Gothic structure completed in 1404. Today it is used for ceremonial purposes by the city administration. It is a two-storey building of 36 x 15 m. overlooking the south side of the ancient market square, now called Raekoja plats (Town Hall Square).
- The palace is flanked by a 64-meter tower crowned by a spire on top of which stands a weather vane from 1530 in the form of a legendary Estonian warrior, called Vana Toomas (Old Thomas). It is a symbol of Tallinn, seen by citizens as a kind of guardian angel. The one flying over the tower is a copy from 1996. The original from 1530 is kept in the town hall.
- According to tradition Vana Toomas was a very skilled warrior in shooting with fiery crossbows but his talent was not recognized due to his popular extraction. However, he was rewarded with a life guardian job. Having grown old, Tommaso got into the habit of giving sweets and treats to the children who passed him. After his death, the children insistently asked parents and relatives where old Thomas had gone, putting them in serious embarrassment. In fact, they preferred to keep silent about the truth so as not to frighten the children.
- But when the weather vane with the effigy of old Thomas was hoisted on the spire, the parents felt relieved and were able to explain to their children that old Thomas had moved to the top of the tower to better fulfill his duty as guardian and would continue to reward them if they behaved well.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/25/Raeapteek2008.jpg/220px-Raeapteek2008.jpg)
Town Hall Pharmacy
- 2 Town Hall Pharmacy (Raeapteek). One of the oldest pharmacies in the world in operation, without interruption, since the 15th century. Ten generations of the Hungarian Burchart family took turns managing the pharmacy, for a period of time from 1582 to 1911. The first to manage it was John Burchart Belavary de Skyava who moved to Tallinn from his hometown, Pressburg (today Bratislava) He rented it from the Tallinn city council. One of its descendants, also named Johann, was able to redeem it for 600 thalers, becoming its owner in 1688.
- It is basically a small museum where visitors can retrace history through the use of multimedia. The cabinets exhibit pharmaceutical jars and instruments from past eras.
- Former KGB headquarters, Pikk 61. Now the Ministry of the Interior and generally not open to the public, this is where the KGB detained and tortured suspected dissidents. A Soviet-era joke says that this was the tallest building in Estonia: even from the basement you could see Siberia. The interrogations were actually conducted in the basement and it can still be seen today how the windows were bricked up with concrete to soundproof.
- 3 Great maritime port (Suur Rannavärav).
- 4 House of the Blackheads (Mustpeade maja), Pikk 26, ☎ 372 669 9946. It was the lodge of German-speaking merchants who wore a black headdress in honor of their patron, St. Maurice, a dark-skinned Egyptian saint who was martyred around 287 AD. C. The brotherhood brought together shipowners of celibate state.
- It is a palace rebuilt in 1640 according to the dictates of the Dutch Renaissance. Today it is the seat of the philharmonic of Tallinn.
- Olaf's Guild Palace (Olevi gild hoone), Pikk 24, ☎ 372 640 3050.
Tue-Fri 10: 00-14: 00.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/StCatherinesPassage.jpg/220px-StCatherinesPassage.jpg)
Alleyway of Santa Caterina
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c7/Nunnatorn_and_Saunatorn.jpg/220px-Nunnatorn_and_Saunatorn.jpg)
Original section of the ancient walls with Saunatorn and Nunnatorn
- 5 Original section of the city walls, Suur-Kloostri (Väike-Kloostri corner).
Mon-Sun 10 am-7pm. At the intersection of these two streets stands a surviving stretch of walls 1.9 km long and with about twenty watchtowers. The closest ones are Nunnatorn (Tower of the Nun), Saunatorn is Kuldjalatorn (tower of the golden foot). The latter is well preserved and is used as a space for exhibitions, lectures and choirs held by the Kuldjala Youth Singing Association. It is possible to climb to the top of each of these three towers via very narrow spiral staircases and then walk a stretch of the ancient walls and admire the panorama of the old city and its red roofs from above.
- It is one of the most touristic points of Tallinn so in July and August it is best to go there early in the morning, before the crowds arrive.
- The construction of the walls began in 1265 at the time of the Queen of Denmark Margaret Sambiria, regent for her minor son Eric V and with the title Dominates Estoniae. For this reason the 13th century walls are called "Mura di Margherita". In the following two centuries the walls were greatly enlarged with the addition of mighty watchtowers. Once completed, the walls had a total length of 2.4 km, were 14 to 16 meters high and three meters thick. Eight doors opened into it, several flanked by towers. More than half of the 46 watchtowers have been lost.
- The best spot to admire the surrounding walls and surviving towers from above is the Patkuli viewpoint on Toompea Hill.
- 6 Alleyway of Santa Caterina (Katariina Käik). In addition to the ancient walls, the narrow alleys of the old city are also very popular. This one of Santa Caterina holds the palm because it has a cobblestone pavement, it is covered for a stretch and in the next one it is surmounted by numerous arches. It is so called because it is located where the convent of the Dominican friars dedicated to Saint Catherine, destroyed in 1524 by the Protestants, stood. The Gothic portal that overlooks the alley remains, while some of the surviving parts such as the refectory were incorporated into the Catholic cathedral of San Pietro e Paolo from 1799.
- The ancient cloister of the Dominicans is instead a museum shown in the next section.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/Pikk_jalg_tower.jpg/220px-Pikk_jalg_tower.jpg)
Long leg door
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/Lühike_Jalg.jpg/220px-Lühike_Jalg.jpg)
Short leg
- 7 Long leg door (Pika jala väravatorn), Pikk jalg 3. A turreted door that was once part of the surrounding walls. It is very well preserved while the surrounding walls have been demolished as they obstructed the city traffic. It cannot be visited as it has been used as private apartments.
- The tower and walls were erected in the 14th century to separate the prelates and nobles of Toompea from the merchants of the lower city and prevent outbreaks of hostility between the two classes.
- The door was closed by a gate and guarded by a caretaker who had to pay a high toll set by the magistrate to cross it on horseback or in a carriage.
- 8 Short leg (Lühike jalg). A short alley which, like the other called Gamba Lungo, leads to the "garden of the Danish king" on the hill above Toompea. Despite the steep climb, it is traveled by hundreds, if not thousands, of tourists every day.
- The alley is mentioned for the first time in 1353 with the Latin name of brevis Msgr and subsequently with the always Latin names, di parvus Msgr ("little mountain") (1371) e descensus montis ad mare (Descent of the mountain to the sea). From 1428, the Saxon dictions of Kerbergh (short mountain) e Dombergh (hill of the cathedral).
- In the Middle Ages, numerous butchers' shops overlooked it, as evidenced by a document of 1394 in which a magistrate regulates the activity of the category.
- A medieval house overlooks the lower part of the alley and now houses the museum of the Estonian artist Adamson-Erik. The building is mentioned as early as 1542 but was completely renovated in the 1980s and has since been a branch of the Estonian art museum.
- Every year, on May 15, the city festival of Tallinn, a ceremony takes place that has its roots in the Middle Ages. The incumbent prime minister in his capacity as Earl of Toompea asks the guardian of the upper gate for permission to travel to the lower city to meet with the people and receive their homage
Tower of the Virgin
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/66/Kiek_in_de_Kök2.jpg/220px-Kiek_in_de_Kök2.jpg)
Kiek in de Kök
- 9 Tower of the Virgin (Neitsitorn), Lossi plats 11 (Toompea). The tower has become a magnet for visitors after the careful restoration carried out in 2012-2013 by the Danish Regina Margaret Foundation and the A. P. Moller Foundation in Mersk at a cost of 1.2 million euros. After the completion of the restoration, which involved the 3 floors of the tower, the basement and the adjacent garden of the Danish king, the tower was opened to the public as a museum bar. In fact, the collections of the Civic Museum (Museum of the City of Tallinn) have been exhibited there.
- It is assumed that the tower, in its original form, already existed in the first quarter of the 14th century and that it was erected simultaneously with the arrangement of the adjacent garden of the Danish king, first mentioned in 1373.
- It was known as the Hinse Meghhe tower from the name of a military commander whose garrison was stationed in this section of the wall. The name "tower of the maiden" (or tower of the virgin) was given to it by the German-speaking Hanseatic merchants (Mägdeturm) and adopted from the Estonian language (Neitsitorn)
- The tower was badly damaged during the 1577 siege of Tallinn by Russian troops (Livonian War) but was restored immediately after the enemy's departure and used as a prison until 1626 after which it was left in a state of neglect. After a superficial restoration in 1842, the tower was destined for private homes.
- The tenants of the tower of the virgin were artists until the end of the 1960s, including Kristjan and Paul Raudov. After the Second World War, the architect Karl Burman installed his own studio in the tower.
- However, the tower was in poor condition, which required restoration work carried out in 1968. The walls were gutted to make way for large windows that offer an incomparable view of the lower city. In 1981, he opened the Neitsitorni café, which immediately achieved great success. In 2004 the ownership of the tower passed by decree to the civic museum. Tenants and bar managers were evicted and the tower was closed to the public until it reopened in 2013.
- 10 Kiek in de Kök, Komandandi tee 2, ☎ 372 644 6686.
Tue-Sun 10 am-5pm. An artillery tower erected between 1475 and 1483. When completed, it was one of Tallin's mightiest defensive towers. It is circular in shape, has a height of 38 meters and walls 4 meters thick. The original tower was not crowned with a roof but had a top in the shape of a crenellated terrace where several cannons were pointed in all directions. Other cannon mouths protruded from the slits on the lower floors. The ground floor was used as a deposit for gunpowder and reserve cannons.
- During its existence the tower managed to repel several enemy attacks aimed at taking over the city. It suffered the most serious damage during the Livonian War, when the troops of the Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible placed the city under siege: even today you can see the cannonballs fired by the besiegers, embedded in its outer walls.
- The tower acquired its present form at the end of the 17th century, when it was covered by a conical roof.
- The name Kik-in-de-Kök is German and means "look into the kitchen". It comes from the guards' habit of peeking during their long and boring shifts into the kitchens of the houses below that appeared clearly from the top of the tower. This one from Tallinn is not the only one to bear this particular name. Other contemporary towers with the same name can be traced to Gdansk, Magdeburg and in other cities of the Hanseatic league or under the dominion of the knights of the Teutonic order.
- The restoration works of the early twentieth century have returned to the tower part of its original appearance. Today it is a small museum open to the public. The permanent collections are located on the upper floors: they include, among other things, models of the medieval city and documents on the life of the time. The ground floor is used for temporary exhibitions, often for film screenings which, however, have nothing to do with the history of the tower, while the top floor has been adapted as an event hall with few seats. It is of course from the fifth floor that the widest panorama can be enjoyed.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Pikkhermann.jpg/220px-Pikkhermann.jpg)
Pikk Hermann
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/Toompea_loss_2009.jpg/220px-Toompea_loss_2009.jpg)
Toompea Castle
- 11 Toompea Castle (Toompea loss). Since the time of its construction, Toompea Castle has been a center of power. It was in succession the residence of the representative of the king of Denmark, of the grand master of the Livonian order, of the Swedish and then Russian governor. Today the interior of the castle is occupied by the parliament buildings (Riigikogu) and the State Chancellery. Each ruler has left his mark and the history of the castle is identified with that of the city that lies at his feet.
- On the basis of Finnish sources it is led to believe that a first wooden castle, called Kesoniemi, was built by the natives between the 9th and 11th centuries AD. In 1219 the fort was conquered by the Crusaders under the command of King Valdemaro II of Denmark. From then on, the subjugated Estonians got into the habit of referring to the fort as "Taani (n) linna" (Danish castle). From this expression would derive the name of the city of Tallinn.
- In 1227 the sword knights took possession of the castle and managed to keep it for ten years before yielding to the Danish counter-offensive. They were responsible for the construction of the first stone castle.
- In 1346, Valdemar IV of Denmark sold the duchy of Estonia to the order of Livonia, heir to the sword-bearers. This knightly order was of a religious nature and below them the castle took on the appearance of a convent with a chapter house, a chapel, a refectory, dormitory rooms, stables and vegetable gardens. It was they who built the four towers placed at the corners of the castle. Three remain, Pikk Hermann, Pilsticker and Landskrone.
- The renaissance state hall designed by the architect Hans von Aachen on the example of the royal palace in Stockholm dates back to 1598 to serve as the residence of the Swedish governor. The palace was rebuilt several times over the following centuries.
- The Russians took turns to the Swedes, winners of the Great Northern War (1700-1721). The castle remained empty until Catherine II announced works for the construction of a new palace intended as the residence of the governor of the new imperial province of Estonia. The design was developed by the German philosopher Johann Friedrich Schultz, a typical figure of the Enlightenment. The works for the construction of the new wing of the castle lasted from 1767 to 1773. The result was a Baroque palace with neo-classical elements. The gardens and the south-eastern wing intended to house the archives were also built in the Russian era.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Riigikogu_hoone,_Kaupo_Kalda_foto_(2016).jpg/220px-Riigikogu_hoone,_Kaupo_Kalda_foto_(2016).jpg)
Parliament building
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/Stenbock_house.jpg/220px-Stenbock_house.jpg)
Stenbok House
- Riigikogu. The Estonian parliament
- 12 Stenbok House (Stenbocki maja), Rahukohtu 3. A neoclassical palace on Toompea Hill, now the official seat of the Estonian government and state chancellery.
Religious architectures
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f7/Tallinna_Niguliste_kirik_22-03-2013.jpg/220px-Tallinna_Niguliste_kirik_22-03-2013.jpg)
Church of San Nicola
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/Oleviste_kirik_in_Tallinn.jpg/220px-Oleviste_kirik_in_Tallinn.jpg)
Bell tower of the church of St. Olaf seen from Toompea
- 13 Church of San Nicola (Niguliste kirik) (Niguliste 3).
Wed-Sun 10: 00-17: 00. Medieval church from the 13th century, dedicated to St. Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors and fishermen. It was built by German merchants of the Westphalia. In 1405 it took on its present appearance. The bell tower, 105 m high, was strengthened in the 17th century. It was partially destroyed during the Second World War. The restoration work began in 1953 and lasted until 1984, when the church was reopened but not as a place of worship but as a concert hall. The bell tower had been severely damaged by a fire that broke out 2 years earlier. Inside there is a fragment of the painting of the "macabre dance", the work of the artist of Lübeck, Bernt Notke. The main altar dates back to 1480 and is also the work of artists of the school of Lübeck and is adorned with wooden sculptures (more than thirty)
- 14 St. Olav's Church (Oleviste kirik), Lai 50. The church is supposed to have been built in the 13th century and served as a place of worship for the Scandinavian trading community then residing in Tallinn. The church was dedicated to King Olaf II of Norway (995-1039) later proclaimed a saint. The spire of the bell tower was 159 m high. It is believed that it was so tall to serve as a lighthouse. The church was struck by lightning at least 8 times and was completely destroyed three times. In Soviet times, the spire served as a radio broadcast. Today it is consecrated to the Baptist cult.
- 15 Cathedral of Santa Maria (Tallinna Toomkirik), Toom-Kooli 6 (On the Toompea Hill). Tallinn's oldest church originally a 13th century Catholic building, also known as the Cathedral, founded by the Danes probably soon after the city was captured (1219). The original wooden church was replaced in 1240 by another in stone which was then enlarged two centuries later. It became a Lutheran church in 1561. It was restored in 1686 following a fire that destroyed its wooden decorations. Inside you can admire numerous tombstones from the thirteenth to the eighteenth century. The linearity of the construction and furnishings underlines the spirit of simplicity and the recollection towards the Lutheran religion.
- 16 [link not working]Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (Aleksander Nevski katedraal), Lossi plats 10. The cathedral was built between 1894 and 1900 to a design by the Russian architect Mikhail Preobrazhensky. The building is not particularly popular with Estonians, as it contrasts with their soul of simple people and reminds them of their long subjection to Tsarist Russia and the Soviet occupation. Classic nineteenth-century cathedral in Russian style, according to many a symbol of oppression but it is also one of the symbols of the city itself. It was destroyed during the revolutionary uprisings and rebuilt by the Russians.
- 17 Church of the Holy Spirit (Püha Vaimu kirik), Pühavaimu 2. A small medieval church today consecrated to Lutheran worship. It was probably built in the 13th century although written sources mention it for the first time in 1319. The exterior is painted white and the elaborate carved clock is the work of Christian Ackermann, a 17th century artist who also owes the altarpiece. altar of the nearby cathedral of Santa Maria.
- 18 Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul (Püha Peetruse ja Pauluse katedraal), Veins 18.
- 19 Cloister Museum of the Dominican Convent (Dominiiklaste Kloostri Muuseum), Müürivahe 33, ☎ 3725112536, @[email protected].
May 1st - September 30th: Mon-Sun 10: 00-17: 00 Outside this period the museum is closed but groups can still visit it by sending a request to the email address or by contacting the telephone numbers listed here. Sometimes requests for individual visits are also accepted. The old Dominican convent dedicated to Saint Catherine and destroyed by Protestants at the beginning of the 16th century is considered one of the best kept secrets of the old town of Tallinn even if it has now been disclosed by all the tourist guides. It is rather the high cost of the entrance ticket that acts as a remora and perpetuates the secret. The cloister is in fact not included in the "Tallinn Card" which entitles you to free access to museums. Other details on prices and visiting methods can be found on the website www.kloostri.ee.
- 20 Church of Our Lady of the Three Hands (Kolmekäelise Jumalaema kirik), Laboratooriumi 22, ☎ 372 5835 2562. Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
Museums
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/29/Estonian_History_Museum.jpg/220px-Estonian_History_Museum.jpg)
Estonian History Museum
- 21 [link not working]Maritime Museum (Eesti Meremuuseum), Raekoja plats.
- 22 Estonian History Museum (Eesti Ajaloomuuseum), Pikk 17, ☎ 372 6411630.
Mon-Sun 10 am-6pm. The collections are housed in a medieval palace which was the seat of the great Tallinn guild.
- 23 Civic Museum (Tallinna Linnamuuseum), Veins 17, ☎ 372 615 5184.
Tue 10: 00-20: 00, Wed-Sat 10: 00-17: 00, Sun 10: 00-16: 00.
- 24 Puppet Museum (NUKU muuseum), Lai 1, ☎ 372 667 9555.
- 25 Chocolate Museum (Chocolala Šokolaadimuuseum), Suur-Karja 20.
Mon-Sun 11: 00-19: 00.
- 26 Estonian Museum of Photography, Raekoja 4/6, ☎ 372 644 8767.
Mon 10: 00-17: 00, Wed 10: 00-17: 00, Thu 12: 00-20: 00, Fri-Sat 10: 00-17: 00, Sun 10: 00-16: 00.
What to do
Shopping
How to have fun
Sõprus cinema
- 1 Sõprus cinema (Kino Sõprus), Vana-Seats 8, ☎ 372 644 1919. Films in competition at the Black Nights festival are shown.
Night clubs
- 2 Drink Bar & Grill, Väike Karja 8, ☎ 372 6449433.
Mon-Sun 12: 00-23: 00. English pub.
- 3 Hell Hunt, Pikk 39, ☎ 372 681 8333.
Mon-Sat 12: 00–02: 00, Sun 12: 00–00: 00. Nice pub in the old town with some home brew beers and great snacks.
- 4 Kuku klubi, Vabaduse väljak 8, ☎ 372 644 5864.
Mon-Thu 12: 00–00: 00. Restaurant open late on weekends.
- 5 Labor Baar, Suur-Karja 10, ☎ 372 5699 4160.
Mon-Sat 19: 00–06: 00 Sun 19: 00–00: 00. Local medical laboratory style. The shots they are served in test tubes.
- 6 Nimeta Baar (the Bar with no name), Suur-Karja 4, ☎ 372 5649 1491.
Mon-Wed 09: 00–03: 00, Thu-Sat 09: 00–05: 00, Sun 09: 00–03: 00. Touristy, too much.
- 7 Von Krahli Theater, Rataskaevu 10, ☎ 372 626 9090.
Mon-Thu 10: 00–00: 00, Fri-Sat 10: 00–06: 00, Sun 10: 00–00: 00. Avant-garde theater shows. The owners also run a restaurant which, like its competitor Kompressor, has a nice atmosphere and a large selection of pancakes but is less crowded.
Where to eat
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/Old_Town_of_Tallinn,_Tallinn,_Estonia_-_panoramio_(29).jpg/220px-Old_Town_of_Tallinn,_Tallinn,_Estonia_-_panoramio_(29).jpg)
"Olde Hansa" restaurant
Moderate prices
- 1 III Draakon, Raekoja plats 1, ☎ 372 627 9020, @[email protected].
Mon-Sun 09: 00-00: 00. The restaurant in Tallinn most besieged by passing tourists. This is due not only to its location (it overlooks the central square of the town hall) but also to its atmosphere of a medieval tavern that tickles the imagination of the diners. Staff and cooks wear the costumes of the time, the lighting is dim as it is provided exclusively by candles and you eat with chopsticks because cutlery was not widespread in the Middle Ages. You will swallow the soups by bringing the bowl to your mouth.
- 2 Beer House, Dunkri 5, ☎ 372 644 2222.
Mon-Sun 12: 00–00: 00. Craft brewery also renowned for its generous dishes and portions. If you want, you can watch the brewing process.
- 3 BoGa Pott, Pikk jalg 9, ☎ 372 631 3181.
Mon-Sun 10 am-7pm. A pleasant stop before the ascent to Toompea Hill. It is famous for its piroukads, Polish pierogi-type stuffed pasta, and for snacks based on black bread and herring.
- 4 Kompressor, Rataskaevu 3 (Near the town hall square - Raekoja plats), ☎ 372 646 4210.
Pancakes from € 4.
Mon-Sun 11: 00-23: 00. Great and hearty pancakes.
- 5 Põrgu, Rüütli 4, ☎ 372 644 0232.
Mon-Thu 12: 00–00: 00, Fri-Sat 12: 00–02: 00. Great selection of beers, around 80 from different countries.
- 6 Pööbel, Toompuiestee 16, ☎ 372 601 7770.
Mon 12: 00–21: 00, Tue-Thu 12: 00–23: 00, Fri-Sat 12: 00–02: 00, Sun 12: 00–21: 00.
Average prices
- 7 Against the wind, Katariina käik, ☎ 372 644 0470.
Mon-Sat 12: 00–00: 00, Sun 12: 00–22: 00. Italian cuisine, pizza and pasta from € 10.
- 8 Karja Kelder, 1 Väike-Karja, ☎ 372 644 1008.
€4.50-8.00.
Mon-Thu 11: 00–00: 00, Fri-Sat 11: 00–02: 00, Sun 11: 00–00: 00.
- 9 Pierre Chocolaterie, Veins 6, ☎ 372 641 8061, @[email protected].
Mon-Thu 08: 00-22: 00, Fri 08:23:00, Sat 10: 00-23: 00, Sun 10: 00-22: 00. An address for gourmands: you can buy the best chocolates in the wholeEstonia. At the bar you can have breakfast with various pastries accompanied by soy milk or espresso. The interior is delightful and varied in style. It also has a restaurant service with a Belle Époque setting.
- 10 Texas Honky Tonk & Winery, Pikk 43, ☎ 372 631 1755.
Mon-Thu: 12: 00-23: 00 Fri-Sat: 12: 00-00: 00 Sun: 12: 00-23: 00. Texan restaurant.
- 11 Troika, Raekoja plats 15. Russian cuisine.
- 12 Vanaema Juures, Rataskaevu 10/12, ☎ 372 6 269080.
Mon-Sun 12: 00-22: 00. Traditional and welcoming local cuisine.
High prices
- 13 Olde Hansa, Vana turg 1, ☎ 372 627 9020.
Mon-Sun 11: 00-23: 00. Restaurant aimed at passing tourists with waiters wearing ancient costumes and a medieval setting. The restaurant was created from the ancient guild of merchants. The owners are the same as the III Draakon previously reported but this costs more.
Where stay
Moderate prices
- 16EUR Hostel, Roseni 9, ☎ 372 5013046, @[email protected].
- 1 Alur Hostel, Lai 20, ☎ 372 6466210, @[email protected]. Check in: 12:00, check-out: 12:00. Kitchen area and free internet connection via wi-fi.
- 2 [link not working]Flying Kiwi Backpackers, Nunne 1, ☎ 372 5821 3292.
- 3 [link not working]Knight House, Ruutli 16, ☎ 372 631 1444, @[email protected]. Hostel converted from a medieval house. Accommodation in dormitories but also in single rooms. Kitchen area and free wi-fi.
- 4 Tallinn Backpackers, Olevimägi 11, ☎ 372 5389 6892, @[email protected]. .
Average prices
- 5 Olevi Hotel, Olevimagi 4 (In the old center), ☎ 372 6 277 650. Housed in an old mansion in the historic center, the hotel features comfortable and nicely furnished rooms. The price includes breakfast. Free access to the network via wi-fi. There is a restaurant attached to it.
- 6 Old House, Uus 22, ☎ 372 6411464. Accommodation in somewhat cramped rooms but at low prices or even in apartments of various types.
High prices
Schlössle Hotel
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4b/Hotel_Telegraaf_-_panoramio.jpg/220px-Hotel_Telegraaf_-_panoramio.jpg)
Telegraaf Hotel
- 7 Schlössle Hotel, Pühavaimu 13/15, ☎ 372 699 7700. It is the only accommodation facility ofEstonia joined the exclusive association in 2011 "Leading Hotels of the World".
- Classified with five stars, the Schlössle hotel is a boutique hotel of only 23 rooms plus a restaurant, a meeting room, a traditional Estonian sauna and a cigar lounge. It belongs to the Marbella Club Hotels group.
- The hotel is located a short distance from the church of the holy spirit. It was obtained from two historic buildings, classified as a national monument and adjacent to the civic museum. The palace is first mentioned in documents from 1363, a century later it was bought by the mayor Marquart Bretholt. After the plague epidemic that broke out in conjunction with the Great Northern War, the two buildings were abandoned and rebuilt around 1758.
- 8 Hestia Hotel Barons, Suur-Karja 7 / Väike-Karja 2, ☎ 372 616 5700.
- 9 Telegraaf Hotel, Veins 9. An exclusive hotel of the Marriott chain with swimming pool, spa treatments and a fine restaurant, the "Tchaikovsky". It has underground parking. It is so called because it was obtained from a building dating back to 1878 where the telegraph company was based.
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