On our way to Tallinn from Riga, we stopped in the picturesque city of Parnu which is a great lunch stop. Parnu is also home to many important pieces of Estonia’s history. It was in Parnu that they signed their Declaration of Independence. The first newspaper in Estonian was published here in 1857 by Jannsen. Jannsen’s daughter, Lyda Koidula, was one of the founders of Estonian drama and helped with the first Estonian Song Festival. She wrote the words for the unofficial Estonian anthem.
A few facts about Estonia before I give more info about our trip:
Estonia is the smallest Baltic country
The Estonian language is more like Finnish and is very different from other Baltic languages.
The tri-colored flag is black for the many difficult times, white is for their constant struggle for virtue and blue is for the seas, lakes, and sky.
The population of Estonia is 1.3 million, 1 million are Estonians and .3 million are Russians.
Estonia has few natural resources, so technological knowledge has become a major product.
Estonia, like the other Baltic countries, survived under the rule of various groups including the Danes, Teutonic knights, Swedes, the Russian Empire with Peter the Great, Nazis, and the Soviets. (The country first gained its short-lived independence in 1918.)
Tallinn Song Festival Grounds
And now, on to Tallinn!
Our first stop was at the Song Festival Grounds. Music is such an integral part of the Estonian people and their history. The song festival, which began in 1869 in Tartu, occurs every four years. In 1988, more than 300,000 (out of a total population of about 1.3 million) met at the grounds to protest Soviet occupation through singing. Today there are often 30,000 singers during this two-day festival. (Watch The Singing Revolution for more information and inspiration.)
We arrived at our hotel, the Tallink City Hotel, and left as quickly as possible to explore the nearby Old Town--a fun, walkable place full of history, restaurants, and shops. (Our hotel was located next to a mall which houses a great bookstore on the top floor and a laundry on the bottom. What more could you ask for?)
The Upper Old Town was originally the space for noble family, usually German, while the Lower Old Town was for merchants, including members of the Hanseatic League. The Lower Old Town was walled and followed the rules of the Hanseatic League, while the Upper followed the laws of the country who ruled them at the time. Now, of course, it is one large Old Town. (We were on a tour with our tour director, Marius Bernatonis, through Overseas Adventure Travel.)
One of the highlights in the Upper Town, at least for me, was the grand, onion-domed Alexander Nevsky Cathedral that sits atop Toompea Hill. The imposing structure was built in 1900 during Russian occupation. The Toompea Castle, the site of the Estonian Parliament, was changed from a medieval fortress to its current modern state and serves as a symbol of freedom and reform.
Church spires of all shapes and sizes dot the skyline of Tallinn. St. Mary’s Cathedral is the oldest church in Tallinn and is lovingly known as the dome church. St. Nicholas Church allows entrance to the bell tower via an elevator and good views of the city. St. Olaf’s Church also gives great views of the area but only by climbing stairs. This church, like many others, has been Catholic, Lutheran, and now Baptist. Built in the 12th century, it became one of the tallest buildings in the medieval world before lightning and fires destroyed the bell tower. Even the ruins of St. Catherine’s Monastery have stories to tell and beauty to add to the wonderful town.
We walked many times through the Long Leg Gate which was built to connect Toompea Hill with the harbor. There is also a Short Leg Street that is must steeper and smaller and could only be used by pedestrians. One of the places we had to visit was the Kalev Chocolate Shop, a staple of Tallinn since 1806, thus making it the oldest café in Tallinn. They are famous for their creative marzipan which you can watch being made and decorated. (Across the street from Kalev is the Russian Embassy. No one was occupying it when we were there, but signs supporting Ukraine were hung all around it.)
We took the tram to the Kadriorg Park and Palace which was built by Peter the Great for his wife Catherine who was Latvian. (You can buy an all-day tram pass that is good for all buses number 1-100. Buses with numbers larger than 100 use a different system.) Like many palaces, it was never furnished except when the royals were about to visit. Construction was begun in 1718, but the complex has been added to and renovated many times since then. (The Presidential Palace is in the same complex.)
We also visited the very modern KUMU Estonian Art Museum. Its permanent exhibits feature Estonian art from the 18th century to the 1990s. We were fortunate to have a guide who explained the various art forms adopted by Estonians and the symbolism found in the paintings.
The afternoon was spent at the Balti Jaam Market (Central Market) followed by a visit to the Teliskivi Creative City. The area, located in an old industrial center, has been transformed by emerging artists and free spirits who have decorated the buildings with amazing murals. (During the work week, the area was slow, but the weekends get extremely busy with many activities going on.)
Other highlights in the Old Town were walking on the walls for beautiful views of the city, seeing the city walls from inside and out, stopping at some of the sidewalk cafes, and viewing the former KGB building.
We also walked to the docks to see where our ferry would meet us for our trip to Helsinki the next day. We wandered through narrow streets and caught glimpses of private courtyards, all of which made for an amazing stay in this city.
The Medieval Tour and Olde Hansa Feast were our goals for the very interesting evening. As our period host guided us through the city sharing stories from his point of view—the 1400s—we saw many of the buildings from a different perspective. We were also able to try foods prepared using traditional methods. (The food was very good.)
And all too soon we were to leave Estonia and head across the Gulf of Finland to Helsinki.
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For our adventures in Klaipeda, Lithuania, click here.
To see our journey in Vilnius, Lithuania, click here.
For information about our stay in Tallinn, Estonia, click here.
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