Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(See “Welcome to Talinn” map,
here
.)
This walk explores the “two towns” ofTallinn. The city once consisted oftwo
feuding medieval towns separated by a wall. The upper town—on the hill,
called Toompea—was the seat of government ruling Estonia. The lower town
was an autonomous Hanseatic trading center filled with German, Danish, and
Swedish merchants who hired Estonians to do their menial labor. Many of the
Old Town's buildings are truly old, dating from the boom times of the 15th
and 16th centuries. Decrepit before the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union, the Old
Town has been slowly revitalized, though there's still plenty of work to be
done.
Two steep, narrow streets—the “Long Leg” and the “Short Leg”—connect
Toompea and the lower town. This walk winds through both towns, going up
the short leg and down the long leg. The walk starts near the ferry terminals.
If you're coming from elsewhere in Tallinn, take tram #1 or #2 to the Linna-
hall stop, or just walk out to the Fat Margaret Tower from anywhere in the Old
Town.
