Historic places in Tallinn

13 historic buildings, sites and memorials in Tallinn.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

See
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
A classic onion-domed Russian Orthodox church, built 1894–1900, during the Russification period when Estonia was part of the Russian Empire. In 1928, when Estonia was independent, it was argued that the church is a symbol of oppression and architecturally non-suitable, therefore should be demolished. But it survived also the Soviet times, and now is used by the Estonian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate.
Do
Birgitta Festival
Music and theatre festival, held at the ruins of the historical Pirita (St. Bridget's) convent.
August
See
Estonian History Museum
Great Guild
The History Museum's main location is the medieval Great Guild Hall. Here, the permanent exhibition takes you through 11,000 years of Estonian history by means ranging from striking exhibits of artifacts to interactive "time capsules". Topics covered include a surprisingly wide range, from coinage and wine to the history of the Great Guild building itself. On top of that, there are always some temporary exhibitions which usually serve as a link with present-day Estonia and Tallinn.
Daily 10:00-18:00 (1 May - 30 Sep); Thu-Tue 10:00-18:00 (1 Oct - 30 Apr)€14; discounted €9
See
Holy Birgitta Monastery
A monastery of Scandinavian female saints, as well as a landmark of 16th-century catacombs and ruins. It includes a guest house operated by the nuns.
See
Kadriorg Palace
An imperial Russian summer residence built by Italian architect Niccolo Michetti for Tsar Peter the Great in 1718. It is in a 90-ha (222-acre) park in the eastern part of the city. The Tsar, a classic and mysterious Russian soul, preferred to stay in a modest house nearby. This event signified the beginning of Tallinn's fame as a summer resort for noble and rich Russians for most of the 18th and 19th centuries. The palace houses some painting collections and other art. A portion of the complex is now occupied by the Office of the President and not available to the public.
Mon Tue Thu–Sun 10:00–18:00, Wed 10:00–20:00€8 (for the palace)
Do
Medieval Days
Keskaja Päevad
Come and experience the medieval atmosphere of the historic Hanseatic City! You can find workshops and market with traders, participate in tours and witness exciting tournaments.
July
Eat
Olde Hansa
The ruling king among Tallinn's purely touristy restaurants with some of them trying to copy its style. The place is simply medieval, not just in terms of food but also in the sense of performance - no electricity, no music except live and authentic, no modern inventions. The house special is bear meat "marinated in rare spices and cooked over a fire in honour of Waldemar II, the brave King of Denmark" costing €40+. Try one of the extraordinary beers, such as the honey beer. It is not likely that you will meet any locals here.
Do
Pikakari Beach
The water quality is fairly good and it gets deep quite soon when you go in. The huge waves coming from the ships break on shore for the joy of all swimmers. The historical Katariina Pier is nice to walk on.
Eat
Restoran Peppersack
A middle ages-themed restaurant one block away from Raekoja plats – even the names of the dishes are medieval themed. Outdoor seating available in the summer, when they also played medieval (what else?) music on a small outdoor stage, and they seem also to have sword fight and oriental dance performances. Probably the main competitor of Olde Hansa and a bit touristy indeed but fun.
See
Rottermann Quarter
An industrial district between the city and the Tallinn Port. The buildings are from the 19th and 20th century, with motifs of Art Nouveau and Historicism. New and stylish apartment buildings with shopping centre have now been built there widely regarded as architectural masterpiece in Tallinn.
See
St. Mary's Cathedral
Tallinna toomkirik
The oldest church in Tallinn, built as a Catholic church in 1229, but renovated and expanded many times since then. It became a Lutheran church in 1561.
See
Toompea Castle
Parliament of Estonia
Seat of Estonian Parliament (Riigikogu). The castle complex consists of several parts: the western wall and the towers of Tall Hermann, Pilsticker and Landskrone built by the Danes between 13th and 15th centuries; the classic style building of the government of the Estonian Governorate built 1767–1773 by the Russians, and the building of the Riigikogu from the 1920s. It's believed that already in the middle of the 11th century there was an ancient Estonian wooden fortress on the location.
10:00–16:00
See
Town Hall Square
Raekoja plats
The square in the heart of the Old Town, just next to medieval Town Hall (Raekoda), ringed with cafes and restaurants. The square was used as a marketplace.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Tallinn (CC BY-SA 4.0).