Tallinn
Estonia's beautiful capital city is filled
with pretty churches and charming cobbled streets. Its central, Old
Town district (Toompea) is surrounded by historic and wonderfully
preserved defensive walls. Toompea is the oldest part of Tallinn
and is the often referred to as the most attractive part of the
city. Throughout its history, this part of Tallinn has been home to
the top echelons of society, including aristocrats, top politicians
and the city's wealthiest residents.
However, many tourists and locals will point to Lower Tallinn
when asked to name their favourite part of the city. This part of
the city, known as An-Linn, is arguably as beautiful as Toompea -
the cobbled streets, limestone buildings and terracotta-tiled roofs
have a real charm, and this area certainly has a more vibrant,
welcoming street life.
One of the city's main attractions is the unusually named "Keik
in de Kok", which means "Peek into the kitchen". This historic
tower is believed to have acquired its name due to its height,
which allowed those in the tower to see through the windows of the
surrounding buildings. The tower houses a permanent exhibition of
Tallinn's military history and serves as an entrance to the Bastion
Tunnels, a network of hidden tunnels built in the 17th century
during Swedish rule. Other sights of interest in Tallinn include
the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the 15th century Tallinn Town Hall
and the 18th century Kadriorg Castle.