Estonia
Estonia has been invaded time again in its long history,most recently by Soviet Russia,but fortunately the medieval centre retains its charm.Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997,today the historic centre of Tallinn is a popular tourist destination.
The city lies on the Gulf of Finland and the Old Town tumbling down a rocky hill,is known as Toompea.By the mid-fourteenth century,the bishops and noblemen at the top of the hill were separated from the merchants and craftsmen in the lower town by a wall,much of which still remains.
the best way to enter Toompea is through the Pikk Jalg gate tower,built in 1380.You will soon reach Castle Square,which is dominated by Alexander Nevsky Cathedral,its distinctive onion domes denoting its Russian Orthodoxy.Its beautiful icons and mosaics where imported from St Petersburg.Parliament meets in a pink Baroque addition to the second castle on the site.There of the corner towers of the castle remain,including Tall Hermann,Tallin`s most impressive fortification.The fourteenth-century Lutheran cathedral(Toomkirik),Estonia`s oldest church,contains some magnificently carved tombs.
The lower town is a mass of winding,cobbled streets and arches,and story-book,pastel-coloured houses.Town Hall Square contains merchants` housesdating from the fifteenth century,and some splendid guildhalls such as the Great Guild,now housing part of the State History Museum.To the east are Kadriorg Palace,which houses the national collection of foreign art,and the Kunsti Muuseum.Throughout you will discover numerous bars and restaurants that have all sprung up during the last few years,serving tourists and newly prosperous locals alike.
WHERE IS IT: The city is on a bay in the Gulf of Finland
ALSO KNOWN AS: The historic centre of Tallin is also known as Toompea
WHAT IS THERE TO SEE: The Town Hall,St Olaf`s Church,Kiek in de Kok tower,Kadriorg and the National Art Museum,the Estonian islands of Saaremaa,Muhu,and Hiiuma
YOU SHOULD KNOW: This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site