Toompea Castle; view from Dome Park, on the west

Toompea Castle; Landskrone Tower / Pikk Hermann Tower (Tall Hermann)

Toompea Castle; National Council ( the old fortress was updated by Catherine the Great)

Alexander Nevsky Russian Orthodox Cathedral

Sculpture on the side of a house / St Mary's Lutheran Cathedral

Lookout views; Rear of building in Upper Old Town / View down to Lower Old Town

Lookout views; Niguliste Church, now restored to a museum / St Olaf's Church

Danish King's Garden; Maiden's Tower (access to the walls) / Cafe Culture exhibition

Kiek in de Kok Tower; part of the museum with access to the underground Bastion Passages (closed)

Tallinn 2; Old Town - Upper (Toompea)

June 2, 2024 in Estonia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

We start the day with a guided tour of Tallinn Old Town. We start by walking up towards Toompea Castle; originally built in the 9th century. It was overtaken by Danish crusaders in the 13th century; when Estonia became part of the Russian Empire, there were Baroque modifications. We are led through the Upper Old Town and see any of the sites (see photo captions), including lovely views down onto the Lower Old Town.

I revisited later alone to spend more time in the Danish King's Garden, going up to the accessible walls and museum there, as well as visiting the Kiek in die Kok Tower; this means "peek into the kitchen" in the German dialect of the time, but is amusing when spoken in English!Read more