Vanalinn

Tallinn Old Town
UNESCO world heritage
View of the old town of Tallinn
National territory:	Estonia
Type:	Culture
Criteria :	(ii) (iv)
Surface:	113 ha
Buffer zone:	2.253 ha
Reference No .:	822
UNESCO region :	Europe and North America
History of enrollment
Enrollment:	1997  (session 21)

The Vanalinn (red) district in the Kesklinn (yellow) district of Tallinn

Vanalinn ( Estonian for "Old Town") is a district (Estonian asum ) of the Estonian capital Tallinn . It is located in the Kesklinn district ("inner city"). As the old town of Tallinn , it was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1997.

history

Vanalinn is the oldest part of Tallinn. This part of the city was built in the 13th and 14th centuries and is well preserved. Administratively, Vanalinn is a district in the Kesklinn district. The district had 4,184 inhabitants on January 1, 2016. Its area is 1.1 square kilometers.

Vanalinn has a high-lying part, the Cathedral Hill (Estonian Toompea ) and a deeper part (Estonian All-linn , German lower town , the actual Reval ). Both parts were separate administrative units for centuries. They were only united under one administration in 1878. The parts are separated by a wall and connected by two streets: Lühike jalg (in German "Kurzes Bein", official German name Kurzer Domberg ) and Pikk jalg ("Langes Bein", officially Langer Domberg ).

Toompea

Significant buildings on Toompea are:

• The Castrum Danorum or "Castle on Toompea " (Estonian Toompea loss ). This building is now the seat of the Riigikogus , the Estonian parliament. The Langer Hermann tower stands on one of the corners
• The Stenbock House , the seat of the Estonian government
• The Tallinn Cathedral
• The Russian Orthodox Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
• The house of the Estonian knighthood (Estonian Eestimaa rüütelkonna hoone ). The Estonian Academy of Arts was located in this building from 2009-2016 .

At various points the visitor has a beautiful view of the lower town and the Gulf of Finland . At the foot of the Domberg lies the Dompark (Estonian Toompark ). On the other side of the park is the Baltic Railway Station ( Balti jaam ). It is located in the Kelmiküla district .

The lower town

In the lower town are:

• The old Tallinn Town Hall on Town Hall Square (Estonian Raekoja plats )
• Opposite the town hall: the Tallinn Council Pharmacy (Estonian Raeapteek ), a 15th century pharmacy that is still in use
• The Church of the Holy Spirit (Estonian Püha Vaimu kirik )
• The Kiek tower in de Kök
• The Niguliste kirik ("Nikolaikirche")
• The Russian Orthodox Church of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker
• The Olaikirche (Estonian Oleviste kirik )
• Buildings of various guilds , including the house of the Great Guild

city ​​wall

In the 15th century, the city ​​wall was 2.35 km long, 13 to 16 meters high and 2 to 3 meters thick. It counted more than 40 towers.

Today there are still 1.85 km of city walls with 26 towers. One of these towers is the fat Margaret with a diameter of 25 meters.

photos

• 

  Castrum Danorum , seat of the Estonian Parliament

• 

  The flag of Estonia on the Tall Hermann

• 

  The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

• 

  The old Tallinn Town Hall

• 

  The Holy Spirit Church

• 

  The large beach gate with the "Fat Margaret"

and display information about the image

Toompea

Web links

Commons : Tallinn old town  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• PDF document about the old town

Individual proof

1. ^ Tallinn Statistical Yearbook 2016 (archived); see pp. 34–36.

Coordinates: 59 ° 26 '  N , 24 ° 45'  E