What to see in Tallinn, attractions and places to visit in the capital of Estonia, a city located on the Baltic Sea in front of the Gulf of Finland.
Tourist information
Considered one of the main tourist destinations in Estonia, Tallinn is located about 80 km south of Helsinki.
The two cities are connected by sea by daily ferry services.
Estonia, along with Lithuania and Latvia, is one of the three Baltic republics that were part of the former Soviet Union.
Tallinn, with a port and full of productive activities, is a city full of charm from the tourist point of view, thanks to the historical center, which is a precious example of a medieval European northern merchant city.
The upper town, located on the Toompea hill, today houses government buildings, while the lower town is surrounded by medieval walls.
What see
The heart of the lower city is Piazza del Municipio, overlooked by the Late Gothic Town Hall, and the interesting building of the Town Hall Pharmacy, one of the oldest European pharmacies, still in operation.
In the lower part of Tallinn there are also the Church of St. Catherine, of the fourteenth century, located inside the Dominican Museum and Monastery, the oldest convent in the city, the Church of the Holy Spirit, of the fourteenth century, the Church of Sant ' Olav, from the thirteenth century, and the Church of San Nicola, which thanks to its excellent acoustics hosts numerous concerts.
In 1670 tunnels were built beneath the old city that served to hide soldiers and ammunition, and to spy on enemies, today a part of them can be visited.
In the upper city the most important buildings are the Toompea Castle, seat of the Estonian Parliament, the Alexander Nevsky Orthodox Cathedral, built in 1897 in honor of the Tsar, and the Lutheran Cathedral of Saint Mary the Virgin.
Do not miss a visit to the Kadriorg Palace, located outside the historic center.
Recommended readings- Tallinn (Estonia): what to see in the capital
- Estonia: useful information
The baroque palace was built in the eighteenth century as the summer residence of Peter the Great, the work was entrusted to the Italian architect Niccolò Michetti.
In the suburb of Pirita, near Kadriorg, there are the suggestive ruins of the Convent of Santa Brigida.
