Tallinn, ESTONIA
Airing Date: Sep 12th, 2005
Estonia is the northernmost of the three Baltic countries. On the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, Estonia is bordered by the Gulf of Finland in the north, Russia in the east and Latvia in the south. Its capital, Tallinn is situated on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, in north central Estonia. Due to its position on the Baltic Sea, the city of Tallinn has been in the middle of a European power struggle for hundreds of years.
In more recent history, Soviet Russia recognised the Republic of Estonia in 1920. However this was short lived with Estonia being caught between Soviet Union and expansionist Nazi Germany. Democracy became authoritarianism and Prime Minister Konstantin Pts took over as dictator in 1934. In November 1988, Estonia passed a declaration of sovereignty and in August 1991 Estonia declared full independence. Since independence and because of the port and the subsequent trade, Tallinn has developed into a city of contrasts: the original Medieval city and the new, modern city full of glass and skyscrapers.
Toompea, the hill on which Tallinn is centered, is a treasure trove for tourists. Estonia's Parliament House, Toomkirik, the Lutheran cathedral founded in 1233; the Estonian Art Museum, housed in an 18th century noble's house near the Toomkirik; and Kiek-in-de-Kk, a tall, stout tower built around 1475 are all still standing. One of the most spectacular buildings is the Orthodox Alexandr Nevsky Cathedral. It was built on the orders of Tsar Alexander III and is instantly recognisable by its onion shaped red domes. Despite the grandeur of the Cathedral, the Estonians are not particularly proud of the building because of it's connection to Russia. Since their independence, Estonia has been removing references to their involvement with the former USSR. Russian language street signs and statues have all been removed, but the Cathedral is still there.
In the Old Town, the square in front of the Town Hall functioned as a marketplace even before the Town Hall itself was built. Throughout the centuries the square has been used for festivals and fairs, as a meeting place and also as a site for floggings and executions. Today, the square remains a social focus of the city, filled with outdoor cafs in the summer, as well as open-air concerts, handicraft fairs and medieval markets in a carnival they call the Old Town Days. Traditions from the Middle Ages are kept alive here, including parades, a knights' tournament, a parrot-shooting contest, and the election of the May Count. The streets and courtyards of the Old Town are filled with music, dance, theatre performances, exhibits and fairs.
In few places in Europe, the aura of the 14th and 15th centuries survive intact the way it does in Tallinn's Old Town, a jumble of medieval walls and turrets, needling spires and winding, cobbled streets. Its powerful defensive structures have protected Tallinn from being destroyed in wars, and its lack of wooden buildings has protected it from burning down.
Further information
Qantas & Finnair to Tallinn starts from $2110 return.
Prices include surcharges, fees & taxes. Conditions apply. A three day tour starts from $350 a person, twin share.
This includes two nights accommodation at Hotel Reval Olumpia, guided tour, breakfasts & transfers. Valid to 30/12/05.
Russia & Beyond
Telephone: 1300 363 554.
Prices correct at 12/9/05
