Tallinn

 

Hey Gentle reader, tomorrow Lena and I are off to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. Estonia is Latvia's Baltic cousin to the north.

 

Here are some fun facts for you.

 

 

 

1 Tallinn's public tram system dates back to 1888.

 

 

2 One of Tallinn's most romantic spots is St. Catherine's Passage, an attractive little lane where craftswomen create and sell stained glass, ceramics, jewellery, quilts, leather goods and hats.

 

3 Tallinn is home to NATO's main research centre for cyber defense.

 

 

 

4 A wooden fortress built on Toompea Hill sometime in the 10th or 11th century was probably the first structure in what later became Tallinn. Toompea Castle now stands on the same spot.

 

5 During Soviet times, KGB used the tall, metal spire of the Medieval St. Olav's Church as a radio transmission tower.

 

6 In 2011, Tallinn took on its role as European Capital of Culture.

 

7 For several weeks each winter Tallinn's Town Hall Square is filled with an elaborate Christmas Market where visitors can buy gifts, listen to concerts, visit with Santa or drink hot, spiced wine.

 

 

 

8 Tallinn shares a nearly identical geographical latitude with Stockholm.

 

9 During Estonia's White Nights in late June the Tallinn sky stays bright from 4 am until around 11 pm.

 

 

 

 

10 Tallinn's Old Town was entered on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1997 as an 'exceptionally complete and well preserved example of a medieval northern European trading city'.

 

#tallinn #estonia