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Hotel Viru & the KGB
When the Hotel Viru was built in 1972, it was not only Estonia’s first skyscraper, it was the only place for tourists to stay in Tallinn – and we mean that literally. Having all the foreigners in one place made it much easier to keep tabs on them and the locals they had contact wit
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Museum of Occupations
Displays illustrate the hardships and horrors of five decades of occupation, under both the Nazis (briefly) and the Soviets. The photos and artefacts are interesting but it’s the videos (lengthy but enthralling) that leave the greatest impression – and the joy of a happy ending. Th
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Tallinn Gate
The typical star shape of the 17th-century Swedish ramparts that once surrounded the Old Town can easily be spotted on a colour map as most of the pointy bits are now parks. The only intact section, complete with its moat, lies to the west of the centre. Where the rampart meets the
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Holy Spirit Lutheran Church
The blue-and-gold clock on the facade of this striking 13th-century Gothic church is the oldest in Tallinn, dating from 1684. Inside there are exquisite woodcarvings and painted panels, including an altarpiece dating to 1483 and a 17th-century baroque pulpit. Johann Koell, a former
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Lennusadam Seaplane Harbour
When this triple-domed hangar was completed in 1917, its reinforced-concrete shell frame construction was unique in the world. Resembling a classic Bond-villain lair, the vast space was completely restored and opened to the public in 2012 as a fascinating maritime museum, filled wi
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Nuku
The state puppet museum has lots of historic puppets behind glass but plenty to play with too. Theres a Cellar of Horrors full of evil and scary puppets (including a vampiric rabbit), a dress-up room, a shadow theatre and windows into the workshops where the puppets are made. Sadly
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Linnamägi
The pretty tree-covered hill south of the church was an ancient Estonian stronghold for around 800 years before it was topped by an episcopal castle in 1224. Known as the Bears Head (oti pää), its from this that the town takes its name. Remnants of the fortifications remain on the
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St John’s Lutheran Church
Although it has its roots in the 16th century, the exterior of this whitewashed church owes much to a renovation in 1858. Inside, look out for the sculpted reliefs above the altar (dating from 1630) and the carved pulpit.
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Promenaadi
Nineteenth-century Russian toffs, like their counterparts in Victorian England and Paris’ belle époque, liked nothing more than a good see-and-be-seen promenade, and the premier strolling route was along the waterfront. Sculptures dating from Haapsalu’s fashionable era are scattere
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Estonian Sports Museum
Chronicling more than just Estonian Olympic excellence (although the glittering medal display serves that purpose admirably), this offbeat museum has a real sense of fun. While the photos of puffed-up early-20th-century bodybuilders in posing pouches suggest that they took themselv
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Sõrve Military Museum & Natural History Museum
Based in the old Soviet border guard barracks, this ramshackle museum showcases military detritus, much of which was gathered from the surrounding battlefield. Arguably more interesting than the collection itself are the ruins of a massive gun embankment and various other bits of m
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Telliskivi Creative City
Once literally on the wrong side of the tracks, this set of 10 abandoned factory buildings is now Tallinns most alternative shopping and entertainment precinct. All the cliches of hipster culture can be found here: cafes, a bike shop, bars selling craft beer, graffiti walls, artist
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St Michael’s Lutheran Church
Kihelkonnas tall, austere, early-German church dates from before 1280. It’s dark and gloomy inside, partly due to the wooden supports holding up the roof, but its worth noting the Renaissance Last Supper triptych (1591) above the altar and the carved pulpit (1604). The church didnt
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Estonian Railway Museum
Haapsalu’s colourful former train station, with its wooden lace ornamentation and grand colonnade, was opened in 1907 to transport the Russian nobility to the spa resort. Designed to keep the royals dry, its 214m-long covered platform was then said to be the longest in the Russian
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Science Centre AHHAA
Head under the dome for a whizz-bang series of interactive exhibits which are liable to bring out the mad scientist in kids and adults alike. Allow at least a couple of hours for button pushing, water squirting and knob twiddling. And you just havent lived until youve set a tray of
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Pühtitsa Convent
Built between 1885 and 1895, the five green onion-domed towers of the impressive main church of Pühtitsa Convent are visible for miles around. Murals by the convent gate depict Mary, the Mother of Jesus, to whom the complex is dedicated. The community of Russian Orthodox nuns work
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Kolga Museum & Manor
The photogenically tumbledown, classical-style manor house at Kolga dates from 1642 but was largely rebuilt in 1768 and 1820. Its once again in the hands of the Stenbock family, who owned it from the 17th to the early 20th century, but attempts to restore it have stalled, due to la
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KGB Cells Museum
What do you do when a formerly nationalised building is returned to you with cells in the basement and a fearsome reputation? In this particular case, the family donated the basement to the Tartu City Museum, which created this sombre and highly worthwhile exhibition. Chilling in p
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Sõrve Visitor Centre
For all the money thats clearly been spent on this whiz-bang centre in Sääres old lighthouse-keepers residence, its not particularly interesting – for non-Estonian speakers at least. Displays are split over several floors and include a lighthouse room, a nature room and a sea room
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Narva Museum
Museum admission gives you the opportunity to ascend Hermann Tower to a wooden viewing gallery, while checking out exhibits on each level of your climb (of varying degrees of interest and relevance, not all with English labels). Most interesting are the before and after pictures of
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