Things to see and do Tallinn

This stunning statue of a soldier inscribed in his stone background in 1947 was originally a memorial to Soviet soldiers who were missing during World War II. For years, Estonians regarded this monument as the symbol of occupation. As times changed, the text accompanying what remains, however, a Soviet monument, changed. «To those who fell during the Second World War». Russians living in Estonia continue to bloom a monument that is for them a tomb of the unknown Soldier, in memory of fallen relatives. In April 2007, this monument referred to him and was the cause of many disorders. On the night of 26 April, the Estonian authorities began work on the exhumation and identification of the remains of the Soviet soldiers buried in front of the memorial to the Soldier Soldier in the city centre. For Moscow and the Russian minority of Estonia, which represents a quarter of the population, the monument symbolizes victory over Nazism during World war II. Most Estonians are mainly a painful reminder of nearly 50 years of Soviet occupation of the country, which became independent in 1991 before joining the European Union and NATO in 2004. As a result, hundreds of people were then taken to the streets of Tallinn on the evening of 27 to protest against the government's decision. Almost 500 people, including more than 100 minors, were arrested in new clashes between police forces and opponents of dismantling.

In Vene Street, the church of the Catholic church was established in 1844, a Dominican monastery dating back to 1246, where Scandinavian monks were living in a great role in Christianity. At the beginning of the th century, part of these buildings had been transformed into a hospice, the museum of the city (Linnamuuseum) reconstituted in a th century merchant house shows the development of the city through the centuries.

You don't have time to go to Lahemaa National Park, but you still want to visit a peat bog (it's almost compulsory when traveling in Estonia)? Then head for the Nõmme district, a veritable village within the city. A 4 km hiking trail through pine and birch woods will take you to the Pääsküla peat bogs, a concentrate of local nature. Don't miss the observation tower for a bird's-eye view of the trees, and the stilted trail that crosses the peat bog itself. Don't forget your mosquito repellent in summer!

On the shores of Tallinn's Gulf, a little lower down than Lennusadam, Noblessner is one of the city's new districts, which has sprung up in recent years. That's not to say there was nothing there before, as it's a former shipyard whose construction dates back to Imperial Russia. It's only natural that this district should be very seafront-oriented, with large esplanades opening onto the marina. Here you'll find the Kai Art Center, the Proto Invention Factory (a must-see for the whole family), as well as bars and restaurants, including the famous Põhjala brewery.

Rotermanni, between the lower town and the port, was one of Tallinn's first rehabilitated industrial sites. Many of the buildings date from the ^19th century and were built around the industrial projects of Christian Abraham Rotermann, later extended by his son, Christian Barthold: flour mill, various factories, a department store... The district was rebuilt after independence, harmoniously blending the existing post-industrial heritage with contemporary architecture. It's a mecca for shopping and design, with numerous restaurants and bars.

But what to do with the derelict former railway workshops? A complex dedicated to creativity, of course! Telliskivi is an astonishing place, a city within a city where the vast spaces are home to galleries, independent boutiques and bars and restaurants each as alternative as the next, even a gin distillery. Since 2019, a branch of the Swedish photo museum Fotografiska has been based here. Its café is very welcoming, and its restaurant one of Tallinn's finest. The street art is well worth a visit.