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Sillamäe

Sillamäe is a town of 17,000 inhabitants in East Estonia, where the Sõtke River into the Bay of Finland. In Soviet times a closed city of nuclear scientists, the Soviet heritage is still very visible here.

See
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Do
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Eat
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Drink
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Buy
1

24 places

  1. See

    Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

    A former residential building, modified in the 1990s to become an Orthodox church. It looks a bit unusual, though it's beautifully set next to the river.

  2. See

    House of culture

    on the central square, the (Kesk 11) faced by the (Kesk 10). These buildings retain elements like balustrades and flowerbeds, but Soviet statues have been removed.

  3. Eat

    Kafe Marilyn

    Cafe restaurant with a varied menu with dishes from many corners of the world. There's also a billiards room and a hookah lounge.

  4. Do

    Kalev sports complex

    Sillamäe Spordikompleks Kalev

    Renovated in 2011, the local sports center has a swimming pool, gym, rooms for ball games and a hostel.

  5. See

    Langevoja waterfalls

    Langevoja juga

    A bit outside the city, the small stream of Langevoja forms two small waterfalls: 1.5 m and 4 m in height, before flowing into Sõtke. The falls can be quite impressive after rains, though they may dry up in the summer.

  6. See

    Memorial to Soviet soldiers

    A set of concrete blocks with metal bas-reliefs depicting faces of soldiers.

  7. See

    Mere puiestee

    Приморский бульвар/Primorski bulvar

    From the central square, stairs lead down to the "boulevard to the sea" as the street is named in both Estonian and Russian. The iconic view of Sillamäe, it looks more like a place next to the Black Sea, Lake Geneva or the Mediterranean than in Northern Estonia.

  8. See

    Monument to the peaceful atom

    Built in 1987 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Russian revolution, which is stated on the plaque, it's one of the increasingly few Soviet monuments in independent Estonia. It depicts a worker lifting up an "atom" that is comprised of electrons but no nucleus.

  9. Drink

    Randevuu Baar

    Regarded as the nightlife center of Sillamäe. The place also serves food.

  10. See

    Rodina cinema

    (Kesk 11) faced by the (Kesk 10). These buildings retain elements like balustrades and flowerbeds, but Soviet statues have been removed.

  11. See

    Sillamäe museum

    Sillamäe muuseum

    The local museum has a range of different exhibitions related to geology, oil shale and the related industry, daily life during different eras, music including radios, record players and instruments, a collection of dolls and various temporary exhibitions.

  12. See

    Sinimäe

    The hills around this village were the site of a battle between Estonians and Soviets in July 1944. The Soviets lost the battle and their advance westwards was halted for two months. Estonians remember it as a great military achievement at gather here every year at a memorial to Estonian SS fighters. The Russians nowadays forming the majority this part of the country unsurprisingly disagree and are protesting against the gatherings. Around the village there's also a Soviet military cemetery and a memorial to the 1920s Estonian War of Independence erected in the 1990s. In Sinimäe there is a small military museum too.

  13. See

    Town hall

    The town hall was built after the Second World War though unlike most other buildings from this era it's not entirely in Stalinist style but draws elements from Tallinn's old town too, in addition to the Kremlin in Moscow.

  14. See

    Viivikonna

    Abandoned mining community with the reputation of a ghost town.

  15. See

    bath house

    (Kesk 10). These buildings retain elements like balustrades and flowerbeds, but Soviet statues have been removed.

  16. Eat Not mapped

    Grill-bar Krunk

    Clean hotel restaurant with a menu similar to what one can find in Russia.

  17. Eat

    Café at the bus station

    Basic eatery with hot dishes, and cakes and pastries.

  18. See

    Catholic church

    Built in 2001 in modern style.

  19. Eat

    Chameleon Cafe

    Sushi, burgers and some other fast food. On Vkontakte.

  20. Drink

    Cinema Club

    Nightclub and disco. On Facebook.

  21. Eat

    Peetri Pizza

    Pizzeria.

    10–22:00

  22. Drink

    Ranna baar

    A nightclub at the seashore, as the name reveals.

  23. Buy

    Troika

    Old-style grocery shop.

  24. See

    Ukuoru Falls

    A waterfall 7.5 m in height near the seashore.