The narrow, cobble stoned streets made the old town area dense and thus having so much to venture and see.
For many of us, it was incredible to be walking around architecture and design of the medieval periods that we only see in pictures and guides.
Being up close to these preserved quarters of an era that has been captured by so much literature and media of the world was so impressive to be able to walk around.
All of us were taking pictures of everything since there was so much to be awe inspired by from our surroundings and we took pride being our touristy selves. As a matter of fact, this laughing matter made us make a pretty startling realization. For many of us, this was our first "tourism"-like travel around the world. For all of us now having lived abroad, it was understood as just that - Living. This was our first time as a group of Americans enjoying the history and the atmosphere as tourists.
It was nothing we were ashamed about - It was so exciting - but at the same time it made us take notice and appreciation of our travels abroad while having the chance to live and experience a country by being part of a society and family. It was this first notion of being a tourist that made us realize how fortunate we really were to have the opportunity to experience living in Finland. The differences were staggering, and from this we received a little more insight into just how much we really learned and grew this summer.
The central square of Tallinn tied everything together. Right in the heart of the old town region, this square was lined with churches, shoppes, cafes, and so many other little details that allowed your imagination to take you back in time.
- You did not want to be a felon in medieval Tallin! This basic form of humiliation and punishment was to be chained up in the market square for all to see! -
While everything seemed quaint and small - in the perception of being a medieval city, this area was dense and lively. You could visualize the life that had once thrived in this amazing criss-crossed capital. From the square there were seemingly so many places to turn and even more narrow streets to adventure.
The challenge was to find which way to go. Every building down the streets was a different color - many in aged earth tones, but also a few faded pastels as well.
The diversity was incredible, and aside from architecture and colors that brought these buildings together molding into a street, the windows, statues, and artistic embellishments added more majestic presence to the overall canvas of this old town.
These details left a visual representation of the history that swept through this capital including Scandinavian settlement, Dutch over rule, as well as influence from the times of being part of the U.S.S.R. .
Down one street, one very prominent and beautiful building caught our attention. This was St. Olav's Church, and this building itself provided a famous image for the entirety of Tallinn and Estonia. This church, complete with ( uniquely for the time and area) a Gothic facade, has a proud history behind it.
The building, once standing at 159 meters was not only the tallest building in Europe, but the world for parts of the 1500's and 1600's! The building has suffered from fires and the spire at the top was damaged at one point in history ( now making the building 123 meters) but is nonetheless still incredible.
Like many European nations - there was a long period where this church was ordered to remain the highest building in the city to emphasize its importance and pride it brought to Tallinn.
The Estonian skyline still looks illustrious with this distinguished building dotting the top of its horizon.
Other buildings that we past included market places, Parliaments, embassies, churches, taverns and other venues, all seemingly condensed and nestled into this incredible mecca coming together to be Tallinn.
From up one hill we were able to get an excellent look around us over the old town quarters and even further to the new modern sections of Tallinn.
The afternoon went by so quickly since we were constantly captivated by our surroundings about us.
For the rest of the late afternoon we managed to run around some more and revisit our favorite spots, check out the modern part of the city, and also plan out what venues and stops we needed more time to fully appreciate for our next full day awaiting for us.
Overall, every where we ventured in old town was an adventure and there was always something awe-inspiring to capture our imaginations of this historic medieval site.
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