St Olaf's Church (Oleviste kirik) is the church with the tall green spire at the northern end of Tallinn's Old Town. At about 124 metres it is the tallest church building in Estonia, and in the 16th century its spire may have made it one of the tallest buildings in the world. It is named after the Norwegian king and saint Olaf II, a patron of seafarers, and today it is used by a Baptist congregation.
St Olaf's Church at a glance
- Where: Lai 50, at the northern end of the Old Town, close to the Fat Margaret tower and the Great Coastal Gate.
- Built: first mentioned in 1267; the Gothic church grew in the 14th and 15th centuries, and the tower is recorded in 1364.
- What it is today: a Baptist church with regular services, whose tower has a viewing platform at about 60 metres, usually open in the warmer months.
- Height: around 124 metres, the tallest church in Estonia.
- Time needed: 20 minutes for the church, about an hour if you climb the tower.
A seafarers' church, a beacon and a listening post
A church may have stood here before the 13th century, built by Scandinavian merchants and dedicated to St Olaf. The first written mention dates from 1267, when Queen Margaret of Denmark gave the parish rights to the Cistercian convent of St Michael. The church was rebuilt and enlarged over the 14th and 15th centuries, and after the Reformation it became Lutheran, with a mostly German-speaking congregation until 1939. The tall spire also served as a landmark for ships approaching the harbour.
Height came at a price. The tower has been struck by lightning around ten times, and the church has burned down three times; after a fire in 1820 the spire was rebuilt by 1840, when the neo-Gothic interior was also made. After the Second World War the Soviet authorities handed the church to Baptists in 1950. From 1944 to 1991 the Estonian branch of the KGB, whose headquarters were nearby, used the spire as a radio tower and surveillance point.
What to look for
- The spire itself, best seen from Toompea's viewing platforms or from the harbour side of the Old Town.
- The viewing platform in the tower, reached by a long, narrow staircase, with views over the red roofs, the harbour and the Gulf of Finland.
- St Mary's Chapel on the south side, completed in 1521, with the stone cenotaph of the merchant Hans Pawels on its outer wall.
- The depiction on an outside wall that recalls the legend of Olev, the mysterious builder of the tower.
The legend of Olev
According to legend, the people of Tallinn wanted the tallest church in the world, but a curse meant death for whoever finished it. A stranger offered to build it for a fortune, or for nothing if they could discover his name. A spy heard his wife singing a song with his name, Olev. As he fixed the cross on top of the spire, the townspeople shouted, Olev, the cross is crooked! He lost his footing and fell, and as he hit the ground a toad and a snake crawled out of his mouth. It is a legend, but the story is depicted on the church wall and still told to every visitor.
Tips for your visit
- The tower climb is steep and narrow, with many steps, so it is not suitable for everyone; check if it is open before you go.
- Visit the church respectfully: it is an active place of worship, and services take priority over sightseeing.
- For the best photo of the spire, look at it from the Patkuli or Kohtuotsa viewing platforms on Toompea.
Nearby
- Fat Margaret and the Estonian Maritime Museum: the round cannon tower of the old city wall, a few minutes' walk north.
- The Three Sisters: three restored medieval merchants' houses on Pikk Street, close to the church.
- The KGB Prison Cells museum on Pagari Street: the former KGB headquarters, a short walk away.
See Tallinn with World City Trail
Our Tallinn scavenger hunt turns the Old Town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around two hours, with about 38 minutes of walking. It includes places such as the Viru Gate, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and Town Hall Square.
If you prefer a different format, Tallinn also has a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game.
Play the Tallinn scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Tallinn →
Play the outdoor escape game in Tallinn →
Facts checked in October 2026.