Tallinn, Estonia
Tallinn’s almost intact medieval town walls have earned it a place among UNESCO’s World Heritage listed sites. This morning our locally based guides did a magnificent job of bringing the town’s past to life as we leisurely strolled through its warren of narrow ancient cobbled lanes. The first written account of a settlement here dates to 1154 when a castle was built on a high ridge offering a commanding view of the coastline and surrounding landscape. This fortification was to endure and formed the nucleus around which a thriving medieval town developed The availability of roasted sugared almonds by street vendors is a tradition which has continued unchanged since the 12th century when Tallinn had become an important Hanseatic town and among the exotic commodities traded were these nuts which were imported into the Baltic from the Eastern Mediterranean. Girls clad in medieval style costume invite would-be purchasers to sample these mouth watering treats.
The town boasts a total of seventeen churches and cathedrals. The dominant religions are Lutheran and Orthodox Russian. One we visited was the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral which houses an impressive array of medieval icons and is lavishly decorated. It was built at the beginning of the 20th century. Many erstwhile residences and warehouses of the town’s wealthy merchants have been converted into quality restaurants, cafes, bars and shops and combined with the numerous medieval buildings form a rich, engaging and photogenic architectural tapestry.
Tallinn today is vibrant and progressive. It was here that the so-called “Singing Revolution” began which was the catalyst for the shedding of Soviet dominance since the end of World War II and the emergence of Estonia as an independent state in 1991. Estonia has been a member of the European Union since 2004 and adopted the Euro currency only this year.
No visit to this city would be complete without a stroll through its famous wool market. Scarves, gloves, jackets and hats in a multiplicity of colors are displayed in stalls located in the shadow of the town’s enclosing medieval walls. This quarter resonates with Estonian craft tradition while looking forward to a bright and untrammelled future.
