My Town (0)

My Town
I live in Tallinn. It’s the capital and main seaport of Estonia. Tallinn is a very beautiful city that lies on the Baltic Sea. It covers 158 square kilometres. The Mayor of Tallinn is Jüri Ratas. The population of our capital is about 400000 people. About 55% of them are Estonian, 37% Russians and the other 8% are from different nations. The people here are mostly engaged in industry- mainly the food industry (23%), trade (16%) and transport and communication (14%).
History. Tallinn has a great history. It was first marked on a map of the world by the Arab geographer al- Idrisi in 1154, its name then being Kolyvan. In the 13th - century chronicle of Henricus de Lettis the town was called Lyndanise. Then it was called Reval for some time and finally Estonians started to call the town Tallinn from Taanilinn (Danish town) after the Danish conquest in the 13th century.
The Knights of the Sword took Tallinn from the Danes in 1227 and made Toompea their fortress. In the middle of the 14th century Denmark sold its possessions in Estonia to the German Teutonic Order ; Toompea became the seat of German-born gentry. A fortified wall was built between the Toompea (the Upper Town) and the Lower Town (inhabited by people of a lower social standing), as there were conflicts between the two. The doors and the gates of the wall were locked at night , a procedure which carried on until the end of the 19th century.
Tallinn joined the German-dominated Hanseatic League in 1285 and became a junction of trade between East and West : furs, honey , leather and seal fat moved west, while salt , cloth, herring and wine moved 'in the opposite direction. As salt was an important trading commodity, Tallinn is said to have been built on it. Its geographical position was very favourable, with its wide bay protected by the two outlying islands of Aegna and Naissaar; it proved a suitable place for a large port. By the 12th century there were already six inland trade routes leading to the port, which was often visited by foreign ships.
Tallinn developed along three lines: fortress, port and market town. The Lower Town, a free town of merchants and craftsmen, gradually evolved at the foot of Toompea. From the 13th century onwards these became separate towns with different communities, both with their own interests and laws .
Tallinn grew rapidly and had developed into a well- known trading centre by the 15th, century. A century later its population of 7,000-8,000 made it one of the biggest cities in northern Europe . Unfortunately , prosperity did not last long due to the weakening of the Hanseatic League, epidemics, hunger and wars . Sweden finally managed to take control of the whole of Estonia in 1629. Though hard times continued, the period that followed is known as the good old Swedish era': foundations were laid for the Estonian school system, the privileges of the nobility were curtailed, local peasants were granted the right to own property, and so on.
Meanwhile , different countries fought for domination in the Baltic region . Russia started the Northern War in 1700. Peter the Great had made it his aim to conquer Estonia and ‘ open a window onto Europe' Together with the Russian troops, the plague came again and thousands of people died. A Russian general described the time after the war as follows: "Between Narva and Riga one can hear neither a dog barking nor a rooster crowing" Estonia remained under Russian rule and the Baltic-German nobility vowed allegiance to the Tsar ., the barons were restored their former privileges.
Life changed for the better thanks to the opening of a railway line from St. Petersburg to Tallinn in 1870. Tallinn grew into a major port and an industrial centre, with huge shipyards employing a large workforce. Interest in culture grew and Estonians became conscious of their national identity ; dreams of independence gained ground. Tartu was the centre of the movement of national awakening .
On 24 February 1918, Estonia was proclaimed an independent democratic republic . Tallinn developed into a modern European capital. A period of prosperity followed, but independence only lasted for 20 years . 1
During World War II Estonia was occupied by both German and Russian invaders, and Tallinn suffered heavily. The bombing of the city by the Soviet air force on 9 March 1944 left over 20,000 people homeless. During the Russian occupation which followed (and which lasted for five decades) attempts were made to Russify the local people. Large-scale industry was developed in Tallinn, workers were resettled from Russia and new blocks of flats sprang up on the outskirts to provide housing for the newcomers. Tallinn was the biggest grain- handling port in the Soviet Union. Russian speakers out- numbered Estonians in Tallinn.
Estonia re- established its independence on 20 August 1991. There is still a large block of granite on Toompea which recalls the days when people barricaded Lossiplats ( Castle Square) to prevent Soviet tanks gaining access .
Modern Tallinn and places to visit . Since independence, improving air and sea transport links with Western Europe and Estonia's accession to the European Union have made Tallinn easily accessible to tourists. The picturesque old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the current novelty of the destination attract many tourists and facilities (hotels, restaurants) have developed to meet their needs . English is widely spoken within the tourist areas .
Note that Estonia has made rapid economic progress since independence and that this is reflected in local prices. Although not extortionate, neither are prices as cheap as in other former Eastern Bloc countries.
The local tourist office sells the "Tallinn Card" which gives the holder free local public transport and entry to most attractions. Although the economics of this may be marginal , it is convenient to use. Local walking tours offer short-cuts to understanding the city.
The main attractions are in the two old towns (Lower Town and Toompea) which are both easily explored on foot. Eastern districts around Pirita and Kadriorg are also worth visiting and the Estonian Open Air Museum (Eesti Vabaõhumuuseum) near Rocca al Mare, west of the city, preserves aspects of Estonian rural culture and architecture .
My 5 favourite places in the Old Town are Tall Hermann , the viewing points in Toompea, St. Olaf ’s Church , Town Hall Square and Bun Passage .
For centuries Toompea was always inhabited by the ruling classes . In the Middle Ages , it was the place where the bishops and the nobility resided. Here the landed gentry built their beautiful town houses . Most of the remaining buildings were erected after the big fire on Toompea in 1684 .
Historically, the fortress on Toompea consisted of two parts: the small fortress ( today ’s Toompea Castle) and the big fortress (the rest of Toompea).
The hill , with an area of 8 hectares, was the perfect location for a fort where people could find shelter in case of danger or war. Today Toompea attracts many visitors who come here to admire the panorama of Tallinn.
Tall Hermann is in the Upper Town. It is the best -known corner tower among the three surviving ones of Toompea Castle. It is 46 metres high and serves as one of Estonia’s landmarks . Tall Hermann was a traditional name given to the main towers of German castles. After the 50- year -long Soviet occupation, the Estonian blue - black -and-white tricolour was once again hoisted on Pikk Hermann on 24 February 1989.
There are several viewing points in the Upper Town. It is a must for everybody visiting Tallinn. For example on of them overlooks the Kopli peninsula, the Baltic Railway Station , the sea and the Tower Square. From other viewing points one can see the Lower Town with its red roofs that are breathtakingly beautiful.
The Lower Town is full of different interesting places. St. Olaf’s Church was first mentioned in 1267 . It was known for its soaring spire and it was used as a lighthouse for ships, being probably one of the tallest buildings at the time. The spire has been struck by lightning many times. The fire of 1820 destroyed the church but it was restored in the same Gothic style. Since then the height of the spire has been 124 metres. It is definitely an extraordinary building and definitely one of my favourite places in Tallinn.
Town Hall Square is the age-old centre of Tallinn where many streets meet. It was known as the Big Market Place in the 11th century, and the market itself was only removed to another location as late as 1896. over the centuries the square, lined with beautiful medieval buildings, was the centre of social life – the most crowded place in the town with its market stalls, weigh houses, the pillory and so on. The square has witnessed executions, festivals , carnivals and wedding ceremonies. Town Hall Square has retained its old function : it is popular among tourists and local people as a meeting place or a starting point for sightseeing .
It’s also the location of Estonia’s most important Christmas tree. Records state that a tree was first placed there in 1441, earlier than in any other European country . According to modern customs the Mayor of Tallinn lights the first candles of the tree.
There are many more interesting places to visit in Tallinn but these 5 are the most beautiful for me. I love the Old Town of Tallinn because the old buildings have somehow preserved very well. I am proud to live in Tallinn.