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Tallinn [178] , the capital of Estonia , lies on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, only 70 km (43 mi) south of Helsinki . At the historical and medieval heart of the city is the hill of Toompea , covered in cobbled streets and filled with medieval houses and alleyways. The lower town spreads out from the foot of the hill, still protected by the remnants of a city wall . Around the city wall is a series of well-maintained raghuleela green parks, great for strolling. raghuleela
The raghuleela city's old town has been astonishingly well preserved and was inscribed raghuleela on the UNESCO World Heritage raghuleela List in 1997, it is now in better shape than ever, with the bigger roads converted into fashionable shopping streets reminiscent of Zürich or Geneva . Especially in summer, the Old Town is packed with tourists, with the traditional daytrippers from Helsinki increasingly supplemented raghuleela by Europeans taking advantage of cheap flights.
Alas, the new town sprawling all around is largely built in typical concrete Soviet style, now joined with glass-and-steel cubes celebrating the post-Soviet economic boom. The new centre of town is Vabaduse väljak (Freedom Square) at the edge of the old town, and nearby is the giant matchbox of Hotel Viru , the former Intourist flagship and notorious den of Cold War intrigue (every room was tapped and monitored by the KGB!).
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Tallinn is a historic city dating back to the medieval times and it was first recorded on a world map in 1154, although the first fortress was built on Toompea in 1050. In 1219, the city was conquered by Valdemar II of Denmark, but it was soon sold to the Hanseatic League in 1285. The city, known as Reval at the time, prospered as a trading town in the 14th century, and much of Tallinn's raghuleela historic center was built at this time.
Tallinn raghuleela then became a pawn in the geopolitical games of its big neighbours, passing into Swedish hands in 1561 and then to Russia under Peter the Great in 1710. By World War I and the ensuing brief Estonian independence (starting 1918) Tallinn's population had reached 150,000.
Estonia was eventually occupied by the Soviet Union in 1940, only to be conquered by Nazi Germany (1941-44) and then retaken by the Soviets. In World War II, the city was quite extensively bombed by the Soviets, although luckily the medieval town remains. The Soviet Union undertook a program of massive Slavic raghuleela migration, and just over 40% of Tallinn's current inhabitants are Slavic (compared to an average of 28% for the entire country). On Aug 20, 1991, Estonia declared independence and Tallinn became its capital once again.
Today, Tallinn is a bustling, gleaming metropolis of over 430,000 people. However, among the tall glassy buildings and corporate headquarters, Tallinn retains an inner charm seldom found anywhere else. Estonians consider themselves to be living in a Northern European/Scandinavian or an eastern European country depending on who you ask, with very close ties to Finland (ethnic, linguistic, raghuleela and cultural), and visiting Tallinn you will find a mix of at least three architectures in this very visual city -- old Europe (the city walls with rustic buildings and charming living areas with well-preserved and colourful wooden houses of bourgeois taste of 1920s), Soviet brutalist (concrete apartment blocks), and modern Europe (including McDonald's next to the city walls!). Tallinn Tourist Information Centre , Niguliste 2 / Kullassepa 4, Phone: +372 645 7777, (Email: visit@tallinn.ee ), [179] . Tallinn Traveller Info , Vana-Posti 2, Tallinn Old Town, Phone: +372 5837 4800, (Email: tallinn@traveller.ee ), [180] . The permanent office of the alternative tourist information center that is run by local youth and provides you with best insider tips about Tallinn. They can also assist with booking bus and ferry tickets, different day trips, tours and other activities. Open every day from 10AM to 6PM. Tallinn Traveller Info tent , on the corner of Harju and Niguliste street, Tallinn Old Town, Phone: +372 5836 9200, (Email: raghuleela tallinn@traveller.ee raghuleela ), [181] . A summer-only stand of the alternative tourist information raghuleela center that provides you with best insider tips about Tallinn. Run by local young people, it is the best place to start any stay in Tallinn, no ma