Address: Estonia, Tallinn
Coordinates: 59 ° 26'14.3 "N 24 ° 44'41.7" E
Content:
Short description
The spacious square in front of the Town Hall, surrounded by old colorful houses, is the heart of Old Tallinn.
View of the Town Hall Square
In the Middle Ages, a brisk trade was in full swing on the Town Hall Square, fairs and knightly tournaments were held, city decrees were announced, executions were arranged. Since then, not much has changed: Today, the Town Hall Square serves as a venue for concerts and celebrations, and twice a year - at Christmas and during the summer festival "Old Town Days" - it is filled with counters with colorful souvenirs, handicrafts and sweets. At the end of the 20th century, the tradition of putting up a New Year tree on the Town Hall Square was revived. The first mention of Christmas celebrations in the Town Hall Square dates back to 1441. Young girls and local merchants danced around the Christmas tree and burned the tree at the end of the fair.
Today the spruce is not burned - around it numerous trade shops "lead round dances", next to which the townspeople and tourists crowd, warming themselves with mulled wine, hot sausages and gingerbread. If suddenly "bread and circuses" are not enough, then you can look into one of the restaurants or cafes located along the perimeter of the Town Hall Square. Thus, the popular restaurant "Olde Hansa", located in an old merchant's house, a few steps from the square, is known for its medieval interiors and an abundance of dishes - from simple salad to roast bear meat.
Town Hall and Town Hall Square
Town Hall - old-timer of Town Hall Square
The wide Town Hall Square, in sharp contrast to the narrow streets of the Old Town, is framed by restored public buildings, residential buildings and amber from the 14th to 17th centuries. Old shoemakers and shoe shops disappeared without a trace. The real old-timers of this place are the City Hall and the old pharmacy-museum opposite it. Tallinn City Hall has already turned 600 years old, and the first documentary mentions of it date back to 1248... Initially, the Revel Town Hall was a one-story limestone building, but with the rise of Revel as a commercial harbor, the House of the Council began to expand. Overseas craftsmen completed the arcade, ceremonial reception halls, and crowned the building with a representative turret.
The Gothic town hall, which meets the requirements of the wealthy Hanseatic city, has not lost its former charm to this day. In the Middle Ages, the city council, consisting of local nobles - ratmans, met within the walls of the building. The symbols that have survived to this day open the veil of secrecy over the rulers of destinies. The facade of the town hall is decorated with gutters, made in the form of dragon heads with a golden crown, "protecting" the city government. The hall of the magistrate on the 2nd floor is used today as a concert hall. Members of the city government decided all issues of life in Reval - from the size of tax rates to clothes that could be worn by representatives of different classes. Within the walls of the former secret room, there is a small torture museum reflecting medieval customs.
Town hall illuminated at night
The Legend of the Chatty Ratman
In the burgher hall of the town hall, which once served as a room for ceremonial receptions, city coats of arms, a bas-relief in the form of a blossoming rose - a symbol of silence, as well as a carved wooden figurine depicting a man on all fours on which a woman with a bunch of rods sits - draw attention. Everything that was discussed under the arches of the town hall was forbidden to the townspeople to know, and even the convicted person was not informed until the very last moment what kind of execution he would be betrayed. Once one of the ratmans violated the rule of non-disclosure of secrets and told his wife about the decision taken at a council meeting to execute one of the prisoners. The wife shared the news with her neighbors, and soon the secret spread throughout the city. Ratman was sentenced to a shameful death: he had to walk around Town Hall Square on all fours three times in a circle, and his wife, riding him, had to whip him with rods. After that, the executioner cut off the head of the ratman. Leaving the town hall, on the pavement in front of the master's pharmacy, you can see a stone cross, under which, according to legend, the ashes of the unfortunate ratman lie.
View of the Town Hall Square from the Town Hall
The Legend of Old Thomas
In 1530, a weather vane was installed on the tower of the town hall in the form of the figure of an old warrior, nicknamed Old Thomas... Legend has it that in the Middle Ages, the son of a poor widow named Thomas lived in Tallinn. He practiced archery diligently and every year looked forward to the archery competition that took place in the spring in front of the Great Sea Gate. Any shooter who managed to hit a tiny parrot figure mounted on a high pole received a silver cup as a reward. Poor Thomas pierced the target with an arrow, and the wooden parrot fell to the ground. The wise city ruler, marveling at Thomas's dexterity, accepted the young man into his army. Tomas faithfully served the sovereign until old age, more than once showing heroism in the battles of the Livonian War. After the death of Thomas, Tallinn residents immortalized him in the form of a small figurine on the spire of the city hall. Since then, the legendary city guard Old Thomas has been guarding Tallinn for 500 years.
