Estonia's Mediaeval Capital

Tallinn is a wonderful place. I'll not dwell excessively on the ferry trip which was, let's face it, just a ferry trip. Thankfully the air was still and the crossing smooth.
It is several cities rolled into one (I'm doing this from memory to make it more 'real', and because research isn't really my thing this time of day). No doubt my irrepressible guide would correct any particularly glaring errors. I knew nothing about Tallinn before this trip, and it is one of the more serendipitous whims I've had. The new city is most of the area, and is a relatively new city, with suburbs, shops, big buildings and the ever-uncomfortable Soviet tower blocks. The old city is in two parts: Dome Hill (at the top) and the lower old city at the bottom.
The upper old city is home to the Parliament and various old residences, along with some impressive churches. e.g.

Relatively recent, but very grand, and with some superb iconography inside.
The lower old city has the town hall and its weather-vane, Old Toomas:


Old Tom was supposed to be the protector of the city. I suppose the fact it has survived pretty intact suggests he has done a pretty bang-up job, but I don't think he's protected the citizens all that well. One particular story stuck with me: the Danes invaded, and a battle in the city ensued. They were camped at the gate of the old city but were repeatedly repulsed. Then 'God took a hand' and the Estonians were betrayed. And the Estonians now appear to celebrate the Danes theological favour in the Danish King's Garden.
I'll need to check this one, but this is an example of the Jugendstil (I looke it up - incorporated into the Nordic version of National Romanticism) style of architecture, most prevalent in Riga (I think). Splendid, eh?


The new city also includes Peter the Great's palace. Superceded in scale and political importance by St. Petersburg. Apparently Russia labels Estonia as the number 2 enemy in the world (after the US). I can't help feeling this is a lack of a sense of proportion: even if you interpret some of the political decisions as excessively nationalistic, the scale really is relatively small, and there has not been a long history of independence to celebrate (something like 40 years in the last 900).


St Olof's is the tallest church

and St Nickolaus is also rather good.