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Fairytale Tallin Ten years ago this year, the Soviet Union loosened its grip on the three countries separating the Communist Block from Northern Europe, and after 50 years of Soviet occupation, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania reclaimed independence. Today, the three Baltic countries have securely anchored themselves to the West through trade relations and bids for European Union and NATO memberships. Contributing Editor Karin Palmquist recently visited the northernmost of the Baltic countries, Estonia, and found little that showed its years spent straddling the dividing line between East and West, but plenty of reminders of times long gone. Like Karin, most visitors to Estonia land in Tallinn, the country's fairy-tale capital. This dreamy city, dating back a thousand years, was founded as a trading port. In the beginning the city was confined within the city walls, three- quarters of which are still standing. The capital has since sprawled to house some 400,000 residents. While most interesting sights for visitors can be found in the city's Old Town quarters, there are a few attractions outside the city center visitors should not miss. Around Old Town Karin said her most lasting impression of Tallinn came from just wandering through Old Town's maze of cobblestone streets. Everywhere you turn, she said, it seems there's a church spire, an outdoor café, a tiny passageway. Oval in shape, Old Town can be hard to navigate, and visitors often find themselves back at square one. Tallinn's Old Town is divided into two parts, Lower Town and Upper Town. Lower Town, centered around Raekoja Plats, the Town Hall Square, is the livelier of the two, full of shops and restaurants. The Town Hall along the south side of the square dates back to 1371, and is open to the public. Tallinn was an important port for a German 14th century trade league called the Hanseatic League, and the wealth the trade brought the city is still evident. For a glimpse of the riches, visit the State History Museum, housed in a Gothic building constructed in 1410 by the Great Guild, (the merchant's association during Hanseatic times), on Pikk Street, one block north of the square. Follow Pikk Street to the end and you'll run into Fat Margaret, the stout citadel guarding Old Town's north entrance. Toompea Castle, home of Estonia's parliament, the Riigikogu, is on top of Toompea Hill in Upper Town. Nothing remains of the original 13th century castle, but three of its four towers, built by the Knights of the Sword on the same spot in 1227- 1229, are still standing. "Tall Hermann," the tower at the southwest corner crowned by the blue, black and white Estonian flag, is a city landmark. Across from the parliament stands the beautiful Russian Orthodox Alexandr Nevsky Cathedral. After Estonia regained independence in 1991, there was talk of tearing down this 19th century Czarist-imperial remnant with onion domes and gold mosaics that seem as much at odds with the surrounding architecture as they do with the new democracy. In a test of this democracy however, the Estonians decided to let the church stand. Tearing it down, they decided, would not only be costly but also provocative to the country's ethnic Russians who make up nearly one- third of the population. South of the cathedral is the Kiek-in-de-Kök tower. The name means "Peep into the Kitchen" in Low German because it's possible to peek into the houses in the lower part of Old Town from the top floor. This 15th century tower is now a museum showcasing old maps and models of Tallinn. Czarist summer getaways Kadriorg Park, weekend playground for cyclists, joggers and families, is 1.5 miles east of Old Town. Follow Weizenbergi Street through the park, and you'll run into the Baroque- style Kadriorg Palace, the summer home of Czar Peter the Great. The palace is now an art museum, worth a visit to see the impressive ceiling paintings in the upstairs main hall. During construction of his summer getaway (the palace took almost 20 years--between 1718 and 1736--to complete), Czar Peter stayed in a cottage behind the palace. That cottage is a museum as well, displaying the Czar's clothes and other personal belongings. Karin says beautiful examples of wooden architecture can be found in the neighborhoods surrounding Kadriorg. There are very few capitals in Europe where wood has not been replaced by sturdier modern materials. Tallinn's wooden buildings, most dating from the late 18th and early 19th centuries, are protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The oldest wooden buildings in Tallinn: Jaan Seegi Church and Kazan Church south of Old Town. Singing for freedom The Song Bowl, the open-air amphitheater east of the park, is worth a visit perhaps not for its architecture, but for the role it played during the events leading up to Estonian independence. During the Soviet regime, song festivals were the only legal way for large groups of people to gather. It was at the Song Bowl in 1989 that 300,000 Estonians came together to sing and demand independence. The next year, half a million people squeezed into this amphitheater designed for 150,000 to demand the same. The Singing Revolution, as the Estonian quest for freedom has been called, resulted in no bloodshed and a relatively peaceful political transformation. Dining out To her delight, Karin found Estonia very affordable. It's possible to eat a three-course meal, including wine, for $15. Shopping is fun and cheap, she says. There's an antique shop to lure tourists on nearly every corner in Old Town, and although most are overpriced and many try to pass off copies as the real thing, it's still possible to find true bargains. The Finnish department store Stockmann has the same upscale fashion and housewares as its Helsinki flagship store, but at much more reasonable prices. There's an abundance of restaurants and outdoor cafes in Old Town. Maiasmokk on Pikk Street serves nouveau Estonian cuisine in a beautiful turn-of-the-century atmosphere. Not for vampires or first dates, The Garlic Restaurant on the Town Hall Square serves dishes from different cuisines with one ingredient in common: garlic, naturally. Café Anglais a few doors down is a wonderful place to have a light meal, coffee or a Sunday lunch. The café serves as a meeting place for the city's expatriate community, and often live recitals on the grand piano accompany the coffee. The menu at Indian restaurant Elevant might not be traditionally Indian (unless the moose on the menu is from North India), but the food is very good and the atmosphere comfortable. After just 10 years, a little country with a turbulent past welcomes visitors to an open and economically stable democracy. Some stories do have a happy ending. The Story on Tallinn Note: The country code for Estonia is 372. Hotels - Park Counsul St. Petersbourg - Radisson SAS - Grand Hotel Tallinn Shopping Restaurants Visitor Information -Travel Guide Estonia, - Estonian Embassy in Washington, DC, www.estemb.org - US Embassy in Tallinn www.usemb.ee July 2001 |
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