Tallinn︱Toompea

Toompea

Churches are arguably the centre of the lives for many Europeans and the soul of European cities. The soul of Tallinn is not just a single church, but a hill where two churches, an ancient castle and several foreign embassies to Estonia stand.

Toompea has the oldest church in Tallinn, namely St. Mary’s Cathedral, and the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in the Russian Revival style, representing the different eras of Tallinn. St. Mary’s Cathedral was built in mixed styles. You can find a traditional dome structure of the 13th century with a Baroque spire of the 18th century. The mix of styles is uniquely harmonious. The church serves as an excellent example of European architecture, just like Notre-Dame de Paris. On the ancient Pikk Hermann, a tower of the Toompea Castle, you can enjoy the best view of Tallinn on the viewing platform. This explains why many royal members lived on this hill.