5 Things To See And Do In Tallinn

Tallinn is the largest and capital city of Estonia and boasts of a population of roughly 416, 470 people. It is located on northern parts of Estonia along the shores of Gulf of Finland and borders Saint Petersburg to the West and Stockholm to the east. Tallinn is ranked among the top global cities and among 10 highly rated world digital cities. In 2011, it was the European Capital of Culture. Due to its location near Arctic Circle, most vacationers travel to Tallinn during Arctic Circle holidays when the city is booming with tourists. The city is a hub of major industries especially Information technology, the food industry and textile industry. If you are planning a vacation to Tallinn, there are lots of things that will top your list of must see and do in Tallinn including:

The Estonian Open Air Museum 

With its home in Kopli Bayl, Estonian Open Air Museum basically refers to the reconstruction of a historical rural Estonian fishing village dated in the 18th century. This museum is complete in its own right, featuring a church, a schoolhouse, an inn, a fire station, several mills and even net sheds. The museum was established in 1957 and features 68 farmhouses built on a 79 hectares land with 72 buildings that are separately located in Rocca al Mare. Here, you will enjoy learning and exploring about the various traditional buildings set in this lovely natural setting in an open air museum.

Kadriorg Palace 

In Tallinn, the 'Catherine's valley' or the Catherinethal represents Petrine Baroque of the 1st Russian Catherine which was designed by Mikhail Zemtsov and Gaetano Chiaveri after the famous Great Northern War. Later on in 20th Century Kadriorg, the version of Catherinethal in Estonian was adapted which explains why the place is referred to as Kadriorg palace presently. You can take a stroll in the beautiful garden as you enjoy the beauty of the floral and surroundings.

St. Olaf's Church 

Before Tallinn was conquered by Denmark, St. Olaf's Church was regarded as center for the Scandinavian community and was constructed in its state in 1519. It was dedicated to Saint Olaf of Norway and stories say that the church builder, also known as Olaf died by falling from the top tower after its completion. Between 1549 and 1625, this church remained the tallest world spire which was used as a surveillance point and radio tower by the Soviet KGB.

Kumu art Museum 

This is one of the classic art museums in Tallinn and the largest in Baltic and among the popular ones in the Northern Europe. It is a branch of Art Museum of Estonia and there are four other branches with Kumu art museum housing the main offices. It got the first permanent building in 1921 despite being founded in 1919. It houses exhibition halls and education center for art lovers and children.

Shopping at Viru Keskus 

Viru keskus is a modern shopping complex in Tallinn that is a must visit and it is an unrivalled shopping center in Tallinn featuring five stores stocking a wide range of products by independent retailers. Some of the best items to buy here include designer wear, souvenirs, furniture, perfumery, cosmetics, pharmaceutical and a grocery store at the center of the complex.

All these great things make Tallinn a home of history and culture which will assure you a memorable vacation in this wonderful city.

I am James, a Kenyan travel enthusiast.

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Find me here: jimmiemuchiri@gmail.com

Article Source: James_N_Muchiri