Tallinn's Old Town is one of the most complete medieval town centres in Northern Europe, with its walls, towers and Gothic town hall still standing. For centuries it was a merchant city of the Hanseatic League; today it is the capital of one of the most digital countries in the world. Here are the facts and stories that make the city special.
10 fun facts about Tallinn
- A Gothic town hall from 1404: Tallinn Town Hall was completed in 1404 and is the oldest town hall in the Baltic region and Scandinavia.
- Old Thomas on the spire: since 1530 a weathervane in the shape of a city guard, Vana Toomas, has watched over the town from the top of the Town Hall tower. The figure up there today is a copy.
- A pharmacy since the Middle Ages: the Town Hall Pharmacy on the square was first mentioned in 1422 and is one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe still in business.
- The Christmas tree claim: Tallinn says the Brotherhood of Blackheads, a guild of unmarried merchants, put up a Christmas tree on Town Hall Square in 1441, which would make it one of the first in Europe. Riga makes a similar claim, and the friendly rivalry continues.
- Walls that still stand: about 1.85 kilometres of the medieval town wall and 26 of its defensive towers survive, which makes Tallinn's fortifications some of the best preserved in Europe.
- Peek into the kitchen: the cannon tower Kiek in de Kök takes its Low German name, meaning 'peek into the kitchen', from the guards who could look down into the kitchens of the houses below.
- Maybe once the tallest building in the world: in the 16th century the spire of St Olaf's Church rose to about 159 metres, and some historians believe it was the world's tallest building from 1549 until 1625, when lightning set it on fire. It has been struck by lightning at least ten times.
- A cathedral facing parliament: the Russian Orthodox Alexander Nevsky Cathedral on Toompea was built between 1894 and 1900, when Estonia was part of the Russian Empire. It stands right opposite Toompea Castle, home of the Estonian parliament.
- A digital pioneer: Skype was developed by Estonian engineers, and in 2005 Estonia became the first country to let voters cast their ballots online in nationwide elections.
- Viru Gate: the two round towers at the end of Viru Street are what remains of a gate system that once guarded the eastern entrance to the medieval town.
The legend of the Old Man of Lake Ülemiste
Lake Ülemiste lies on the edge of Tallinn, above the Old Town. Legend says a grey old man lives in its waters. Once a year, on a dark autumn night, he walks up to the town gate and asks the guard whether the city is finished yet. The guard must always answer that it is not, and that there is still a great deal of work to do. If the old man ever hears that Tallinn is complete, he will let the lake's waters loose and drown the city. That, so the story goes, is why Tallinn is never quite finished, and why there is always something being built somewhere.
Toompea and the Lower Town, explained
Medieval Tallinn was really two towns. On the limestone hill of Toompea lived the nobles and the bishop, around the castle that now houses Estonia's parliament. Below lay the Lower Town, a Hanseatic city of merchants and craftsmen with its own laws, council and walls. The two sides often quarrelled, and the tower at the foot of Pikk jalg, the Long Leg, has a gate that could be shut between them. Today you can walk up either Pikk jalg or the steep, stepped Lühike jalg, the Short Leg, and see both towns in a few minutes.
What to eat in Tallinn
- Rye bread: dark, dense leib is part of almost every Estonian meal, and many restaurants bake their own.
- Kiluvõileib: an open sandwich of sprats on rye bread with butter, egg and herbs, a classic Estonian snack.
- Verivorst: blood sausage served with lingonberry jam, a traditional Christmas dish.
- Kama: a mix of roasted grain and pea flours, stirred into kefir or buttermilk for breakfast or dessert.
- Vana Tallinn: a dark, sweet rum-based liqueur, drunk on its own, in coffee or poured over ice cream.
Good to know before you go
- Tallinn is a popular cruise port, so the Old Town is busiest in the middle of the day. Mornings and evenings are much calmer.
- For the classic view over the red roofs and church spires, go to the Kohtuotsa and Patkuli viewing platforms on Toompea.
- Kadriorg Palace, built for Peter the Great from 1718, stands in a large park a short tram ride from the centre.
- Telliskivi Creative City, in old factory buildings near the Old Town, is full of cafés, small shops and street art, and ferries to Helsinki leave from the harbour many times a day.
Explore Tallinn with World City Trail
Our Tallinn scavenger hunt turns these sights into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around two hours, with about 38 minutes of walking, past sights such as Viru Gate, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and Town Hall Square.
At each stop you solve a puzzle and hear a short story, at your own pace. You can start whenever you like.
Play the Tallinn scavenger hunt →
Facts checked in October 2026.