blog
Alan's first day in Tallinn
- Hannah 01.12.2007 22.53
Let's start the Alan Robson week in Tallinn!
We met Alan and Matt who is Alan's Night Owl Show producer with Liisa Pakosta - the great person and excellent quide in old-town where was also Alan's hotel - The Hotel St. Peterburg.
Liisa was sharing with us few of the scariest legends about Tallinn and I covered all day with photos.
Tallinn, the oldest capital in Northern Europe, was put on the map for the first time by Arabian geographer al-Idrisi in 1154. Tallinn’s Old Town is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as one of the best-preserved medieval town centres in Europe. It boasts a town wall with 26 defence towers, the Dominican St. Catherine’s Monastery founded in 1246, the 600-year-old Gothic Town Hall, the world’s oldest functioning pharmacy on the Town Hall Square and the 159 metres high Oleviste Church which was the highest structure in the world in the 16th century. Toompea Hill and the towers of Oleviste Church and the Town Hall offer breathtaking views over the Old Town. Toompea Castle, built in the 13th and 14th centuries, is the seat of the nation’s parliament and there flies Estonia’s “first flag” on top of Tall Hermann’s Tower.
Here is Alan with Liisa:
And with the producer Matt Bailey
Tallinn is a dynamic city on the move. The medieval Old Town is not a
museum, but a vibrant, living organism between the harbour and the new
business district. The city centre with its cosy cafés, boutiques and
art galleries beckons to take a stroll and explore the streets, to have
a drink and a bite to eat, to party, and – why not – to shop.
Every December since 2000 there has been a big Christmas Market on Raekoja Plats (Town Hall Square) in Tallinn's medieval old town. The large square is filled with over 60 wooden huts, surrounding a large Christmas tree. You'll find the traditional knitted sweaters and socks, linen products, weird felted hats, baskets, beeswax candles, homemade soaps, handmade Christmas decorations, and a variety of other handicrafts. And then there's the marzipan, gingerbread, honey... Many of the products for sale can also be found in the Old Town shops, but it's nice to stroll around at the market - and there are lots of stalls selling *hot* mulled wine to keep you warm in the freezing cold winds..
Opening the Christmas Market
You probably know the saying - "boys will always be boys..." - here is perfect session of photos to describe that:
Poor Alan... it was -11 degrees this day...
After Tallinn's Old Town we visited Kadriorg Park and Castle and the Song Festival Grounds where I did one beautiful song called "Mis on kodu, kus on kodu..." (What is home, where is home...") for the Alan's Show. To say that singing is part of Estonia's national identity is an understatement - because without song in fact there might be no Estonia at all! In 1869 Johann Voldemar Jannsen established the Estonian Song Festival, whilst the nation was still a province of the Russian Empire, and was responsible for fostering a Estonian national awakening. After that, the new tradition was born, and Song Festivals are still composed, after every four years.
"Lauluväljak" - The Tallinn Song Festival Grounds is built on 1959 for conducting Song Festivals. In 1988 Estonians gathered here - at the Lauluväljak - to sing patriotic hymns in what became known as the Singing Revolution that overthrew the Soviet yoke. Today, Tallinn's Song Festival Grounds are better known for hosting international acts, such as Metallica, and the contemporary dance music event, the Sundance Festival. Here we are with Alan:
Interesting day! It's always when I show someone Tallinn and Estonia a realize again and again how beautiful country is Estonia!
I will continue tomorrow... there's going to be early start!
With love,
Hannah
