8 Terrific Reasons to Visit Tallinn ...

The 18-century Kadriorg Palace is a beautiful reminder of the power of true love. Peter the Great, the famous Russian emperor, ordered its construction in honor of his beloved wife, Catherine I. The Palace is surrounded by a huge park, with scenic pathways through colorful flower gardens. Today, this marvelous Baroque building is home to a branch of the Art Museum of Estonia, featuring famous masterpieces of foreign art.

Apart from the reasons to visit Tallinn, here is the one to get out of it, at least for a few hours. Located just out of town, the Open Air Museum features a variety of traditional buildings, dating from different periods in Estonian history. The charming ambience with water mills, windmills and farm structures presents the perfect venue for reliving traditional customs and celebrating folk holidays. This unusual but interesting exhibition is located by the sea, in a wooded area of almost 80 acres, making it the perfect getaway from the city bustle.

The lively Town Hall Square is one of the best places to go in Tallinn. Located in front of the beautiful Gothic Town Hall, the square is a popular venue for various events like medieval fairs, concerts under the open sky or handicrafts sales. Even if there’s nothing scheduled, you can still enjoy a cup of coffee in one of the café terraces.

History fans have many reasons to visit Tallinn, and the City Wall and Towers are among them. The original defensive wall was constructed in the 13th century and was known as the Margaret Wall. In the following centuries, the wall was upgraded and enlarged, and it became one of the premier Northern European fortification systems of its time. Although approximately only half of the wall and the towers remain perfectly preserved today, it is a still huge and quite awe-inspiring sight.

Sure it sounds dramatic, but the title ideally describes the Estonian history from 1939 until 1991. During the World War II, the country was shortly occupied by the Germans, and after that was forcedly incorporated into the Soviet Union. The Museum holds the memories of the times of Soviet repression and brave Estonian resistance, shown usually through the destinies of everyday people. It is one of the most poignant and interesting attractions of Tallinn.

The charming ambience of the St. Catherine’s Passage can be compared to Montmartre in Paris. Artists and craftsmen work here in the open air, in the picturesque setting of the Renaissance and Baroque buildings along the street.

Every capital city has magnificent churches, and one of the great attractions of Tallinn is the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. The stunning Orthodox church was built at the very beginning of the last century, while Estonia was under the rule of the Russian Empire (prior to Sovietism). The church boasts an impressive bell set that comprises eleven bells, among which the heaviest weighs around 15 tons. The rich decorations of the interior include invaluable icons and mosaics.

Although hopefully your reasons to visit Tallinn don’t include health issues, you might still want to visit the Town Hall Pharmacy, one of the oldest in Europe. The old records confirm its existence in 1422, but it can be assumed that this pharmacy is even older than that. Apart from all modern medicines that are available here like anywhere else, the pharmacy also houses a museum, exhibiting the medieval medical instruments, old chemist tools and more.

Have you been? If not, then you definitely have good reasons to visit Tallinn.