Week 4: The Art and Architecture of Tallinn

Old Town

This past week, we had the incredible opportunity to visit Tallinn. We had a lovely mix of pre-planned activities and the freedom to explore on our own. On our first day there, we took a tour of the city. It was amazing to see all of the beautiful sites in Old Town. I particularly loved when we climbed up the Town Hall tower and visited a Russian Orthodox Church. The tower was quite tall, and had steep stone stairs that spiraled up to the top. At points, it felt more like rock-climbing than stair-climbing. At the top, we had a beautiful view of Tallinn. I was surprised at how many buildings had orange or red roofs, and I would love to know the history behind this architecture. After we left the tower, we visited a beautiful Russian Orthodox Church. The architecture of the church was beautifully intricate, and I felt as though I could spend hours just looking at all of the little details. 

Kadrioru Art Museum

The next day, I visited the Kadrioru Art Museum on the eastern edge of Tallinn. Kadrioru is a palace with countless paintings and sculptures on acres of artistic gardens. The paintings in the museum were absolutely stunning, and I particularly loved a painting depicting Pompeii a day before the Mount Vesuvius eruption. The detail within the painting was incredible, and the artist created a hauntingly beautiful scene of life a mere day before disaster. Within each room in Kadrioru, there were also large and intricate structures that I believed to be fireplaces. I loved how the architects of the palace took the necessity of heat for Estonia’s long winters and turned the fireplaces into art. It seemed very unique to me, and a perfect example of how usefulness and beauty can intersect. I would love to visit more palaces in Estonia and see if this is common or unique to Kadrioru.

The Parade

After leaving Kadrioru, we were able to walk down and see a bit of the parade preceding the singing festival. We saw many school groups, bands, and Estonian flags. It was wonderful to see traditional Estonian clothing, and even though it was raining, everyone was in high spirits. I am incredibly thankful to have been able to see such a strong and beautiful display of Estonian culture.