Family Fun in Europe, Part 14: Tallinn

This is my fourteenth post about our family's 2024 trip to Europe. I recommend reading the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth posts before this one.

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Tallinn, Estonia

 

On Sunday, July 28 we arrived in Tallinn, Estonia. Our group of seven did three different shore excursions. Trevor and I took a 4-hour walking tour of Old Town, called Vanalinn. 

  

Old Town Tallinn is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Surrounded by the Walls of Tallinn, most of the buildings within the walls have been preserved from their 13th century origins.

 

This is the Russian Orthodox Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. Because we were there on a Sunday morning, services were in session. That meant that we were asked not to take photos inside. But being present for the service was well-worth the trade-off. 

I noticed many differences between my own church (Lutheran) and this one (Russian Orthodox). Obviously, the most pronounced difference was language. But besides that, there is no seating whatsoever in the cathedral. Everyone stands through the whole service. If you wanted to sit down for any reason, you'd have to sit on the floor. No musical instruments are allowed. There is plenty of singing, but it is always unaccompanied. Everyone dresses up and women keep their heads covered. 

This is Danish King's Garden. 

No matter where you're standing in Old Town, you can see church towers peeking over the rest of the buildings. 

This is St. Nicholas' Church. It has been deconsecrated and is now an art museum and concert hall. 

We didn't go in St. Nicholas', but we did enter St. Mary's Cathedral, the main Evangelical Lutheran church in Estonia. It dates to 1219. They were between services and the pastor himself welcomed us in and told us about the church. That was a treat.

  

Our guide kept up a good pace, keeping us moving along the streets of Old Town Tallinn. There was a lot to take in and it was all so interesting. 

Check out these amazing views!

After seeing the sites in the upper area, walked along Pikk Jalg (Long Leg). This long, gently-pitched path separates the upper and lower portions of Old Town Tallinn. There is a corresponding Luhike Jalg (Short Leg) that is a lot shorter, but also much steeper. 

We were all fascinated by activity outside of the Russian Embassy. 

The first time we walked by, we saw signs, banners, and displays covering the entire fence in front of the embassy, all condemning the invasion of Ukraine. 

When we walked by an hour or so later, there were protestors and police watching the situation. We did not photograph that. 

We took the opportunity to ask our guide about the current relationship between Estonia and Russia. The two countries share a 214-mile border. We learned, not surprisingly, that the Estonians are extremely concerned about Russia. 

Next, we walked by (but did not get to enter) the KGB Headquarters from the time of Soviet occupation. The basement was used as prison cells, where people were beaten and tortured. See that bricked-in area on the photo on the right? That was a window when the building was first erected. After the KGB moved in, they didn't like that people walking by on the sidewalk could see the torture going on, so they bricked up the windows. 

  

This is Town Square. There are a lot of interesting things to see and do there. 

This clock, on a wall in Town Square, is from the 1600's.

Don't miss Town Hall Pharmacy. 

First opened in 1422, it has operated continuously since then, making it the oldest pharmacy in Europe. The current portion is modern, but there is a museum portion that preserves its history.

Anyone need some tonic? This one contains 10% powdered opium and was commonly prescribed for a variety of conditions in the 1800's.

Back in the days when most of the population couldn't read or write, people identified pharmacies by two bottles placed in the front window, one with red liquid and one with blue. 

Be sure to find this timeline on the sidewalk. 

Estonia first appeared on a world map in 1154. 

The Lutheran Reformation in Estonia began in 1523. 

Estonian independence was restored in 1991. 

The timeline ends with two dates in the far future. In 2384, the Estonian Song Festival will be held for the 100th time. In 2418, Estonia will celebrate its 500th anniversary. Mark your calendars!

These are the Three Sisters. They are typical medieval dwellings that represent a unique architectural style, with warehouses on the upper floors. See the jutting beams for hoisting? Just like in Amsterdam!

Our final destination of the tour was the Estonian Maritime Museum, located in Fat Margaret Tower. We didn't spend a ton of time there, but it was enough to get a feel for the maritime history of Estonia. 

  

This was interesting. They discovered a tunnel while building the museum. Not much is known about this mysterious tunnel. 

The gift shop at the Maritime Museum offers a variety of dried fish snacks, in case you're feeling peckish. (Blargh.)

This is a monument to the MS Estonia, one of the worst maritime disasters of the 1900's. 

  

The tour ended and we headed back toward the Sky Princess. 

So what did the rest of the family do? Steve toured the lower part of Old Town, then had a brewery tour that featured all sorts of Estonian delights. Mom, Dad, Kari and Allison toured the newer part of Tallinn, much of it constructed during the Soviet era. Looking at their photos and hearing their stories made me realize how much more time I'd like to spend there, further exploring everything Tallinn has to offer. But we had another world capital to visit the following day. I'll tell you about it tomorrow.