House of the Brotherhood of Black Heads

Tallinn, Estonia

The House of Black Heads (Estonian Mustpeade maja) is a Renaissance-style building in Tallinn old town. The building's name is derived from its developers, the Brotherhood of Black Heads which was the guild of foreign unmarried merchants. The Brotherhood was founded sometime around 1399 and was active in Estonia and Latvia.

A 14th-century residential building probably occupied this site when the Black Heads bought up the property in the early 1500s. They immediately installed a new hall with an archless ceiling, but the serious rebuilding got underway in 1597 when the Dutch Renaissance façade, with its profusion of ornaments and carved decorations, was added. The eye-catching front door dates to 1640.

Inside you can see a two-naved, vaulted hall, which bought from the neighbouring St. Olav's Guild and dates to the 15th century. The site is frequently used for concerts and other gala occasions, and naturally any event held here will take on a timeless quality.

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Address

Pikk 26, Tallinn, Estonia
See all sites in Tallinn

Details

Founded: 1597
Category: Palaces, manors and town halls in Estonia
Historical period: Part of the Swedish Empire (Estonia)

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

wiktoria matczuk (2 months ago)
100% recommend. I would even say it's the best attraction in the whole city. With sparkling wine for extra €2 you have an amazing experience:)
Linda Baagøe (2 months ago)
Pretty nice building. I love the fact that they rebuild the building after the tear down in 1948. A lot of beautiful details on the facades, and when you enter the museum, you are taken back in time from the basement all the way to the 1. floor. Highly recommendable. Even my teenager found it interesting! ?
Fekete Márk (3 months ago)
One of the best places to visit in Riga. Entry ticket is cheap, and there is even an extra student discount. You can learn a lot here about local culture and history. The house itself is beautiful, inside and outside. Staff is also very friendly and helpful. Oh, and it is one of the cheapest places in the city to try their local liquor, the Riga Black Balsam. One shot was around €2.50 if I remember correctly.
Ross Daniels (4 months ago)
A really instructive interesting Museum with a lot of history. It was originally constructed in 1334 and served as a venue for meetings and celebrations for the Brotherhood of Blackheads, a guild for unmarried merchants, shipowners, and foreigners in Riga. It has been renovated over time and was damaged during World War II and subsequently demolished by the Soviet government³. It was rebuilt between 1996 and 2000, and today it serves as a museum. It is a pity so much was destroyed but great that it was rebuilt.
Sarish Mohar (5 months ago)
A must visit in Riga. Entrance were cheap and you can get audio guides that are automated and gives you a good synopsis of all the rooms you're visiting. It's short and sweet and yet gives you a good enough understanding of what's before you. Staff were helpful and always ready to assist but a map could perhaps be offered as the route was confusing initially .
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