Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is well known for its fully preserved medieval Old Town and vibrant nightlife. Many stylish places to eat and drink have recently sprung up in Tallinn, many of them offer decent quality food, and it’s not hard to find a place to dance. Those who travel outside the city will get acquainted with our beautiful countryside (for example, Estonia is known as the land of 1000 islands), the long coastline, the picturesque Baltic German manors, etc.
And there are not many cities whose face is designed by the 21st century and not by the 18th or 19th.
Situation
Tallinn is situated in Northern Europe in the northeastern part of the Baltic Sea region. Its unique position between the high-tech Nordic countries and Russia, which has vast natural resources and a huge market, has made the city an attractive location for investors from all over the world. Foreign investments in Estonia amounted to 189.7 billion kroons in June 2004, making Estonia the most successful country in Eastern Europe in this regard.
Distances from some European cities (by plane):
or Helsinki 82km
Riga 280km
or Saint Petersburg 315km
or Stockholm 380km
or Copenhagen and Moscow 860km
or Berlin 1030km.
The best cultural events in Tallinn
The main summer event in Tallinn is the Old Town Days in the first week of June; In December, the Black Nights film festival brings the best of the year’s European films to Tallinn, and there are many other annual cultural events such as Jazzkaar, Orient, NYYD and more.
economic life
About half of Estonia’s GDP is produced in Tallinn (and its suburbs), and more than half of foreign-owned companies reside here. The economy is fueled by close relations with Finland and Sweden and a liberal economy that is friendly to foreign investment. The rapid development of communications infrastructure has created a situation where mobile technologies and the Internet are used more widely than in some larger and wealthier EU countries (e.g. Internet banking is used by more than 10% of the population, active Internet users are more than 50% of the total population, every second Estonian has a mobile phone, etc.
e-government and e-tax system are working, etc.). The economic growth forecast for this year is 5.9%. Estonia’s GNP per capita in 2004 was 40% of the EU average (39% in Lithuania, 34% in Latvia).
population
Tallinn has about 400,000 inhabitants, half of whom are Estonian, 40% Russian and 10% of other nationalities. You probably didn’t know that there are more than 120 nationalities living in Estonia. The main ethnic groups are Russians, Belarusians, Ukrainians, Finns, Tatars, Latvians, Poles, Jews, Lithuanians, Germans, and Armenians. Basically every third Estonian speaks some other language.
Short story
o 10th century: the ancient Estonians have already established the central point of trade on the coast of the Gulf of Finland.
o 1219: The Danes conquer northern Estonia. led by King Waldemar 2nd, who later establishes a stone castle at Toompea; a multinational city grows around him.
o 1248: Tallinn acquires city rights.
o 1219-1346: the Danish period. Inside the wall there is a network of streets, with a guild house, churches and convents, warehouses and defense buildings.
o 1347-1561: the Livonian Order acts as sovereign; the construction of the Old Town with its main stone buildings is completed.
o 1561-1710: the Swedish period Tallinn’s commercial success has faded due to protracted wars.
o 1710: Tallinn capitulated to the Russian army (Great Northern War).
o 1857: The loss of the city’s stronghold status and the construction of a railway connection with St. Petersburg caused a major evolution in the city’s development. Rapid industrial development begins, resulting in the rapid growth of the city.
o February 24, 1918: The Estonian Salvation Committee declares the independent democratic Republic of Estonia. The new government immediately has to organize a defense against the attack of Russian Bolshevik troops and the Estonian War of Independence begins. Ends in 1920.
o 1920: Tallinn becomes the capital of the independent Republic of Estonia.
o June 1940: Soviet troops occupy Estonia, abolishing its independence and establishing Soviet order.
o August 120, 1991: The Estonian Supreme Soviet declares the restoration of Estonian independence on the basis of legal continuity.
o August 29, 1994: the last troops of the Russian army withdraw from Estonia. World War II has come to an end for Estonia.
o May 1, 2004: Estonia joins the European Union.
