Tallinn Estonia

Our next amazing stop was Tallinn, the capitol city of Estonia. Known as "Revel" from the 13th Century all the way up to 1917 (and again during the German occupation of WWII), this walled city is perched on a hilltop overlooking the water. At one time Estonia was part of the Soviet Union and currently shares a border with Russia. Now a part of both NATO and the European Union, Estonians enjoy their independence and proudly boast that they are one of the most "wired" countries in the world. "Skype" was developed in Estonia, something used by those of us many miles away from family and friends.

We enjoyed time spent with the people we met, hearing them recount Estonia's eventful history, as well as sharing their hopes and dreams for the future. We were treated to a very nice and rather large meal of local cuisine on the old town square and poked around in some of the old churches and shops. Scott  climbed the stairs up and had a walk on top of the old city wall. We also travelled to the song festival grounds and learned about the singing revolution which lead to the establishment of Estonian independence in 1988.

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is Tallinn's largest and grandest orthodox cathedral in the Old Town. It was built to a design by Mikhail Preobrazhensky in Russian Revival style between 1894 and 1900, during the period when the country was part of the Russian Empire. 

The Church of the Holy Spirit (Estonian: Püha Vaimu kirik) is a medieval Lutheran church 

Clock of the Church of the Holy Ghost in Tallinn, made by Christian Ackermann.

St Mary's Cathedral (Estonian: Tallinna Neitsi Maarja Piiskoplik Toomkirik)  The Cathedral of Saint Mary the Virgin which is also known as Dome Church is a cathedral church located on Toompea Hill.  Originally established by Danes in the 13th century, it is the oldest church in Tallinn and mainland Estonia. Originally built as a Roman Catholic cathedral, it became Lutheran in 1561 and now belongs to the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Tallinn.

The Tallinn Town Hall (Estonian: Tallinna raked) is the oldest town hall in the whole of the Baltic region and Scandinavia.The vane, Old Thomas (Estonian: Vana Toomas) on the top of the Town Hall's tower has been up there since 1530 and has become one of the symbols of  the city of Tallinn.

Viru Gate, entrance to the Old Town. Once a part of a fourteenth century gate system

Toompea Castle (Toompea loss)

The Toompea Castle is an ancient stronghold from the 9th century and today it is the home of the Parliament of Estonia. In 1219 the castle was taken over by Danish crusaders, later by the Swedes and later still, the Russians. After the Estonian Declaration of Independence in1918 the parliament was housed here and it remains here today.

In 1869 Johann Voldemar Jannsen established the Estonian Song Festival while the nation was still a province of the Russian Empire. This festival was considered responsible for fostering an Estonian national awakening. After that, the new tradition was born and the festivals are still held every five years.

During the Occupation of Estonia by the Soviet Union, there was a need for a larger stage. The new and current arched stage was built in 1959 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Estonia SSR in the upcoming year.  The 15th Estonian Song Festival in 1960 was celebrated on the new stage. The stage was meant to hold over 15,000 singers but the reverse also became possible, with the performance taking place in front of the stage and audience sitting on the stage. On the northern side of the song stage is the 42m high fire tower, which is used during the Estonian Song Festivals. It is open for the public all year long.

In 1988, Estonians gathered at the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds, to sing patriotic hymns in what became known as the Singing Revolution that led to the overthrow of Soviet rule.

An optimal capacity for concerts is 75,000 fans. In June 1988, during the Singing Revolution days, up to 300,000 people were said to have attended the Night Song Festival. 

















This is a picture of a picture of the Song Festival Grounds when it is in full swing with about 100,000 people taking part in the national event. The statue is a very large memorial to Estonian composer Gustav Ernesaks. He is looking out across the Song Festival Grounds and beyond to the boat that brought us here.