|
Ask any local and they will tell you that the words ‘Tallinn’ and ‘culture’ fit together as smoothly as a doctor's hand in a surgical glove... Thankfully without the inherent pain that such a combination implies! Tallinn may be a touch small for a capital city but it packs a big cultural punch for its size and visitors certainly won't be short of places to go, sites to see, and things to do. In fact this ancient port is gearing up for 2011 when it will represent all of Europe as a 'Capital of Culture'.
Tallinn’s most obvious draw for those who like to indulge in historical culture is the city’s medieval Old Town, a UNESCO-listed labyrinth of winding streets and ancient buildings. History buffs will particularly enjoy visiting the gothic wonders that are the city Town Hall, the old Pharmacy (still functioning!), and St Olaf’s Church; meanwhile a hike up to the upper Old Town, a.k.a. ‘Toompea Hill’, is a must. There you will find Toompea Castle, Toomkirik (The nation’s oldest church), and the impressive Russian Orthodox number, the Aleksander Nevsky Cathedral.
If you prefer to dig a bit deeper into a city's culture than a stroll around town you’ll be pleased to discover Tallinn has more than it’s fair share of museums. The Museum of Estonian Architecture and Museum of Occupations are highly recommended, whereas the chance to step back in time at the Open Air Museum shouldn’t be missed. Art lovers should also take the opportunity to drop into one of the many branches of the Art Museum of Estonia, which is getting ready to move to its flagship exhibitions to a swanky new pad (see www.ekm.ee for the latest developments). One of the museum’s finer collections (18th-20th Century foreign art) is housed impressively in the baroque Kadriorg Palace – which means two attractions for the price of one!
Finally, slaves to the performing arts will find that Tallinn offers you plenty of choices. In particular the city has a love affair with the stage and, although visiting numbers have dropped since Soviet times, Estonians are second only to Icelanders in average visits per year to the theatre, throughout the whole of Europe. If you can’t find a drama performance in English however you might prefer a night at the newly refurbished Opera House - where music speaks louder than words!
Film-wise the city boasts a meagre four cinemas, two multiplex blockbuster-screening types, and two which show art and cult flicks – the latter two being Kinomaja and Soprus. However, a rising interest in the field of film is demonstrated by the prominence of Tallinn’s Black Nights Film Festival. It runs in November-December each year, and exposes local enthusiasts to the secret pleasures of artsy European and world cinema (no, that isn’t a euphemism for ‘it shows pornos’!).
So, as you can see, even the most discerning intellectual and learned highbrow will find more than enough to stimulate their grey matter in Estonia’s beautiful capital. Proof that Tallinn is more than just a port of call for groups of lads on holiday! For a more complete list of cultural gems please visit our culture directory.
| |
Above: Traditional dress
Below: Advanced manoeuvre! 
| | | |
