Exploring Tallinn Old Town (continued)

When I returned to the apartment after my morning exploration, my host, Ott, seat me down with a map, gave me a brief history lesson about Estonia, and pointed out a few interesting places to visit.

At 12:30 PM, I headed out again, this time towards the Fat Margaret Museum and Visitor Center (#23 on the map). I also made a quick stop at the cafe bar on top of the tower, as Ott mentioned I might get a decent view of the Old Town from there. However, as he had said, the view wasn’t particularly remarkable.

Leaving the tower, I entered the Old Town and made my way to St. Olav's Church (#22). I observed part of the service, but Ott had told me that the real highlight was the view from the top of the church tower. Unfortunately, entry required cash, which I hadn't brought with me. This was something new I encountered on this trip—some churches require a cash payment to enter, which made me wonder: shouldn't churches be free for everyone, considering they are places of worship? But then again, we were tourists.

After leaving the church, I walked to Tornide Väljak (Tower Square), another viewpoint Ott had recommended. There, I saw a couple of beautifully preserved towers.

Following the map, I then visited two popular viewpoints (#8). I climbed a set of stairs to reach the first one, Patkuli. The view was nice but somewhat limited. From there, I walked to the nearby Kohtuotsa viewpoint, which offered a truly fantastic panorama. The area was bustling with tourists.

Next, I returned to the main street in the Old Town to visit the famous Hellemann Tower, near the Viru Gate.   Unfortunately, once again, I couldn't enter because I didn't have any cash on me.

Walking along the street outside of the old town wall 

Fat Margaret Museum

View from the roof top coffee

Back on the street 

St. Olav's Church

Tornide Väljak (Tower Square)

Patkuli View Point

Kohtuotsa View Point

Obligatory Tourist Shot

Back to old town and Viru Gate

Outside the Viru Gate

Exploring the Tallinn Old Town

Eager to explore Tallinn Old Town again, I woke up early and headed out, entering through the iconic Viru Gate. It was still early in the morning, and the streets were quiet, with only a few young people in festival attire lingering outside a restaurant, likely wrapping up a long night of socializing. Nearby, I took a photo with the charming Black Angus sculptures.

I strolled leisurely along the main street, admiring the colorful buildings in various architectural styles. I made sure to capture their beauty from different angles.

I walked to the tourist information center. There, I encountered two young men hanging out. As I approached, one of them noticed me taking photos and asked if I could snap a few shots of him. He seemed a bit tipsy from the night before and struck several playful poses for the photos. Dressed in a colorful outfit, he introduced himself as Daniil and mentioned that he owned a bar across the street. I nodded my head and said yes, of course you do.  We had a light-hearted chat about the statues of two Estonian writers, Jaan Kross and Juhan Smuul. Daniil jokingly pointed to Smuul’s statue on the wall and told me he wasn’t a fan. We took a picture together by Jaan Kross's statue, and he offered me some tips on exploring the Old Town.

Following his advice, I exited the Old Town near the information office and arrived at Freedom Square. I climbed to the top of the hill, where I enjoyed a wonderful view of the square below, with the bright yellow St. John's Church standing out in the background.

Next, I made my way to St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, it was closed, so I planned to return later. From there, I walked to the Danish King's Garden, where three faceless monk sculptures captured everyone’s attention. A musician played guitar nearby, adding to the atmosphere.

Afterward, I exited through a side door and descended to the main street, only to be met by rain. I took shelter in a side street for about five minutes until the rain subsided, then made my way back to the apartment. It was about 10:30 AM by the time I returned.

Viru Gate

Obligatory shot with the Black Angus Sculpture

With Daniil

Freedom Square

Danish King's Garden

Danish King's Garden Courtyard

Faceless Monk

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Tallinn Old Town Map

Two tombs up to the Tallinn Old Town government. They did a good job posting old town map detailing the attractions at various locations.  Here is a link I included here so you can download it online. 

VisitTallinn_A3_linnaplaan_juuni_2022_08.indd

Tallinn Old Town -First impression

The Old Town Tallinn was built like a fortress, with walls and towers designed to defend against enemies. There are several entrances that allow you to easily enter and exit. Today, the Old Town is filled with shops, restaurants, and landmarks for visitors to explore. On my first day, I wandered without a map or specific direction, just exploring. While there are a few wider main streets, the side streets are narrow, with stone doorways leading to other streets, making it feel like walking in a maze.