| Tallinn was one of the more interesting visits of this trip. This town, some 5,000 years old, has changed hands many times between the Dutch, Swedish, Germans and Russians for it’s strategic trading post. Sadly it was a harsh victim of the Nazi’s who killed nearly all jewish people in the city. After WW2 the Russians took over and remained until the early 1990s. Plague and religious conquests have constantly changed this city. |
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| Fun zig zag to get here |
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| An idea how close we were to Russia |
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| Nice when your cell phone alerts you to countries you’ve visited |
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| Two other ships in port with us today |
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| Mini sailboats in the harbor |
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| The Old City of Tallinn |
The Old City is one of the most well preserved midevil cities in all of Europe.
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| The 1529 west gate entrance |
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| Walls here are 15 feet thick, towers held multi-store homes |
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| Tower homes even had toilets |
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| Some serious steps to walk up to get to your home |
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| The city walls were designed to handle much artillery shelling |
The Russian left much of the old churches in bad shape. It’s only now after tourists are arriving (cruise ships, hotel stays) that money is being put back into the builds and restoring them.
St. Olaf’s Church, aka The Round Church. It was the tallest building in all of Europe until 1625.
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| Time wasn’t nice to these buildings |
The Russians used this church to spy on people in town up through 1992.
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| It’s been a few days since hiking a tower, why not |
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| Down side to being tall, hiking these towers is a challenge |
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| Chairs fold out to give people a ret |
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| Tight lookout ledge |
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| It is a pretty view |
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| To pass one person must lean into the church |
Like the Old Church in Netherlands, white plaster has been used here to hide the years of neglect to the building.
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| Stain glass has never been replaced since the Germans destroyed them in WW2 |
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| One of the most famous and brutal KGB detention jails |
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| Proof some ladies like the danger |
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| Lots of tourists today |
Cathedral of Saint Mary, aka the Dome Church. Built in 1233 it is the home of German nobles. It’s been rebuilt many times, most recently in the mid-1700’s.
Wooden family crests on the wall display those that are buried here.
Some of these crests are gorgeous. Some are unique.
Oh what the heck, one more tower to climb. This time a short one at only 150 feet.
The bell tower here is so impressive how they suspend the bells.
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| No joke, it’s tight and this must serve up and down visitors |
The Russian czars tried to get Estonian’s to forget their heritage and embrace being Russians. The country revolved eventually, never wanting to forget their past, knowing they were not Russians. As a result, every 5-years a large festival takes place here where their heritage is celebrated and remembered.
A small art exhibit, reminding us of the thousands of Estonians that were forced to leave against their wishes (holocaust) during WW2 and who never returned.
While developing part of the city mass graves were uncovered. They were not related to the holocaust but rather to the Great Plague of the 1600s. Thousands of bodies were put into these mass graves. Several of these graves were found.
Such a pretty town with so much history. But we must leave. St. Petersburg is tomorrow early.
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| I’ve never seen two ships leave at the exact same time |
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| Ramming speed!! |
Tomorrow, day one of St Petersburg.