Tallinn Town Hall, Tallinn, Estonia

Tallinn Town Hall, located in the main square, is the only surviving Gothic town hall in Northern Europe. The first recorded mention of the Town Hall dates from 1322. Its present form dates from 1402-1404, when the building was rebuilt. The spire was destroyed in an aerial bombing on March 9, 1944. It was rebuilt in 1950. The Town Hall is in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites with the Tallinn's Old Town.

The building has two main storeys and an almost full-sized cellar. The main façade is supported by an open arcade with eight piers and topped by a crenellated parapet. High gables and a pitched roof make the building elegant, but the slender octagonal projecting tower with a gallery for bells gives it particular finesse. The tower is crowned by a late Renaissance spire comprising three cupolas and open galleries.

Today the Town Hall is a representative building of Tallinn City Government, concert hall and museum. The entire building is open to the public in July and August, when less official receptions are held. In other times, visits must be agreed with the Town Hall in advance (except the cellar exhibition).

User Reviews

Sergei Prohhorov (5 months ago)
Christmas market during Covid19. No one's afraid here.

Mari Hautamaki (6 months ago)
Very beautiful now in winter time.

Mirko Vujadinović (8 months ago)
Beautiful old town. Full of history. I was there in May 2012.

Vlad Melnyk (9 months ago)
Has medieval vibe to it. Architecture held up pretty well and looks gorgeous. Lots of cafes and pubs nearby. During Christmas holds a picturesque fair. Worth a visit

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Martin M. Miles

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The Abbey of Saint-Etienne, also known as Abbaye aux Hommes ('Men"s Abbey'), is a former monastery dedicated to Saint Stephen (Saint Étienne). It is considered, along with the neighbouring Abbaye aux Dames ('Ladies" Abbey'), to be one of the most notable Romanesque buildings in Normandy. Like all the major abbeys in Normandy, it was Benedictine.

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