CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (PÜHA VAIMU KIRIK)

This church, which is situated not far from the corner of the Raeapteek, dates from the 13th century. Originally, it was part of the Holy Spirit Hospice, which helped the sick and elderly. For a long time it became the main church for the common people. It changed again, as it later became a Lutheran church. In the 1530s, the first sermons in Estonian were delivered here instead of the traditional German. From then on, it was to play an important role in Estonian culture. It is also here that the famous Livonian chronicler Balthasar Russow taught at the end of the 16th century. A unique Gothic work can be seen here: a carved wooden altar with several leaves dating from 1483. The front of the church has a clock from 1684 and the bell tower has the oldest drone in Tallinn, cast in 1433. The interior is richly decorated with, in particular, a unique example of a wooden sculpture from the Gothic period. The altar, which was commissioned to the artist Bernt Notke in 1483, is one of the most valuable medieval works of art in Estonia. The richly decorated clock on the front of the church is the oldest public clock in Tallinn.
For the record, it is the smallest medieval church in the city. Good thing: the visit is free with the Tallinn Card. The entrance fee helps to cover the annual maintenance costs.