we arrive in evening; an unusual welcome |
next morning, at the Viru Gate, entrance to the lower old town |
walking up the medieval streets |
colorful doors are a strong feature of this city |
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in the upper old town, the Russian orthodox Nevsky cathedral |
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Pikk Herman tower in the Toompea castle |
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a view from the castle over the Baltic, toward Finland |
the lower old town, St. Olaf's church in the distance |
further out, the new town |
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the Dome church, in the upper old town |
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the Great Guild Hall, now the museum of Estonian history |
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inside, a collection of old artifacts from this new country |
an 11th c. sword; when a warrior was killed, his sword was also 'killed' |
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a model of the Guild Hall |
relics of an unpleasant time |
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Tallinn's charming photography museum... |
...featuring many native artists and equipment inventors |
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back in the old town |
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on the hunt for Jewish Tallinn; here in the old town, an abandoned synagogue |
now we're in the new town... |
...home to the one active synagogue in the city |
a tour inside |
back in the old town to see more of the ancient architecture... |
...including some surviving interiors (here's a painted ceiling) |
thru a stone passageway... |
...to the ruins of the Dominican church |
an impressive collection of gravestones |
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the exterior of the church, now St. Catherine's passage |
back in the old town alleys near our hotel |
this house has lost its facade |
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at first we thought this was advertising a purse snatching festival! |
a long walk thru new town to the Kadriorg neighborhood... |
...home to many 19th c. wooden houses |
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a few very modern buildings as well! |
in the Kadriorg park, once the president's palace grounds |
KUMU, the national museum of modern art |
the architecture is as interesting as the contents |
the temporary exhibits feature new media such as live video... |
...while the permanent collection features native artists and national folk themes |
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each globe represents a different mapping of international networks |
words from current news spelled in a falling stream of water droplets |
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a view back toward old town |
thru the park to the Baltic shore, a monument to shipwreck victims |
looking across the bay to the ferry terminal |
back into old town via the Great Coastal Gate and Fat Margaret's Tower |
near the upper city wall |
Harju street, an ancient city entrance rebuilt after destruction by the Soviets in 1944 |
at St. Nicholas church, home to a rare 15th c. oil painting of the Dance Macabre |
a last view toward old town... |
...and Old Thomas waves goodbye! |