Estonians hate the Alexander Nevski church. Not because it is Russian but because it was built during Russification attempts, to show power. Like another youtubers put it really well: it was Russia peeing in our Old town, to mark territory. It is a Gothic 13century town, and suddenly a 1900 Russian orthodox church: so out of context and so dominating. And not even anything beautiful: just an average church. we have much cuter orthodox churches here, with so much more soul, mostly wooden. I love those. But this one makes me just want to make it explode. Actually, there have been bills by the Estonian parliament twice during the first independence period to take it down (move it to another location). Unfortunately, it was never done. It is so sad the way tourists come to Toompea hill, are all over that church, and then LEAVE. Never mind that there is a 13th century Gothic Dome Church a few steps further. Which was one of the first stone buildings here, that is architecturally and historically of a huge importance. Most tourists never find it or know to look for it. It is just sad. And all the other places and buildings on that hill. It was also the only building you showed on Toompea. Toompea is the heart of Estonia, has been from ancient times. The Parliament is there, the first castle ever built here, with the tower that has the most important Estonian flag, the flag that has always shown who is in power. And it is a big deal that we have our flag there. It is taken down at every sunset and risen again at sunrise, except for Midsummer night when it never gets dark and the flag stays there for the night. The taking down and putting up of the flag is accompanied by the national anthem. Which always startles the tourists walking by because they think it a fire alarm or something. Toompea also has office of the Prime minister, various embassies, various palaces used for different purposes today. In short: it has so much more than the boring and ugly Russian church from 1900. Toompea used to be not Tallinn but a different town with its own Laws and rulers. The two towns did not get along and even had a wall between them. The lower town belonged to merchants. The upper town-Toompea-belonged to German aristocrats who mainly lived in their country mansions. But moved to their Toompea castles in winters to be close to each other and mingle. Because in the Nordic winters they would be cut off from the world. By the way, talking of onions, we call Russians onions. And that is the nicest name we have for them. (Kind of like the British call the French frogs) As for filming: it is not allowed in any orthodox churches anywhere in the world. Cars ARE allowed. But it is inconvenient because pedestrians have first right all over Old Town and cars have to drive at walking speed. And parking there is really expensive. Yes, we are a quiet culture. We do not speak louder than necessary (I do not even understand why in most cultures people talk as if the person they were talking to was deaf) We do not scream so much. And we are one of the least populated country in the world. So not too many people, that also makes it quiet. But it was Monday and November. So that helps too. Summer night weekends are not so quiet. The underground passages were made by the Swedes in 17t century My grandmother was in there during the bombing of Tallinn. She was 11. I watched the filming of that bombing in exactly the same place. The headless monks in the Danish King Garden are lit inside in the dark. Tallinn is really cool in the dark. First of all, the lighting of the wall and towers and buildings is designed so that you can see all the different layers throughout history. Also, it is just cool with the lights. And less people and even more quiet. We are actually very proud of the silence we have. And the space. And the way we respect the privacy of other people. Some interpret that as shyness but it has nothing to do with that. It is just an introvert's paradise. As for ghosts, we have loads of them. there was a tradition of Ghost tours started by one of our previous prime ministers. Unfortunately he had a stroke and is no longer able to do those tours but others have taken over. It is a really cool tradition we have, to learn our own history through this haunting folklore We do not ruin drinks with ice. Maiasmokk is not a tourist place at all. We go there all the time. Opium came a bit later than the Middle ages
Appreciate all the info. You have a beautiful city, and despite the quiet vibes, we felt very welcome, and really enjoyed seeing just a little piece of Tallinn. Thanks so much for watching and offering the great response here!
@@nateandkatrinadotheworld Glad you felt welcome here. This is what most people say. And it is also statistically proven that it is very safe here. Also psychologically. We respect the personal space of others so you can just do whatever, nobody will bother you or give any unwanted attention.
@@kanaaju2007 and how Western tourist drool over it. They keep saying how beautiful it is, when in fact they only seem to like it because it's Russian and therefore exotic. Plus confirmation bias, of course - the only thing many of them know about Estonia is that it "used to be part of Russia" and God forbid they'd do any research before arriving here. Fortunately it seems to be a diminishing trend, and many visitors are far better informed or at least inquisitive these days. There is a certain new tendency emerging, however: people who admire Russia from afar because they are too scared to actually go there. Schizoprenic, isn't it? So they see Estonia and the rest of the Baltics as some kind of surrogate Russia or the closest they can get or are willing to go, so it will have to pass for the "real thing".
The historical architectural influence from Russia ( excluding the Soviet times) is entirely limited to orthodox churches. The numbers of those is many times smaller than historically catholic/protestant churches.
he first estonian architect is considered to be the civil engineer Georg Hellati, who in 1901-1902 designed the house of the estonian students' association. everything that was built before that was designed by Germans, Swedes, and Russians.the Estonian himself was an uneducated farmer who could not build anything except a farmhouse.
@@veikko-tc1gireally? It’s actually the building of the Office of the President, and it was built in 1938, designed by architect Alar Kotli. Or are you talking about the Kadriorg Art Museum? Built by Italian architect, but who cares, right 😅
Old town square has got this uneven with past 2-3years. Nobody knows why exactly. But they try to somewhat fix it for summer period and in 5y to make total reconstruction to it. There are no sewer systems beneath it, so all the water just stays underneath the cobblestone and then when it freezes with the cold, it lifts it and lowers it constantly when weather warms up. In Estonia the weather is so inconsistent. It freezes one day and may just warm up the other day.
19:26 Center of Old Town, Yes it also used to be the world's tallest building. Fun fact. The tradition of decorating a Christmas tree come from old town or to be more exact, the first time a cristmas tree was decorated in the world was in old town.
@@nateandkatrinadotheworld They claim about just tree, Tallinn claims the first decorated christmas tree. Also story about(the christmas tree and decorating it) "mustpeade maja" aka. blak heads house, you need to ask a guide about it, i don't remember the story well.
@@KrK-EST st olaf's fun fact is also... questionable. Based on stories the tower used to be about 40 meters higher, the roof has been rebuilt numerous times and there was no precise measurements taken when it was supposedly the tallest, so realistically speaking it's mostly a legend. It definitely was and is a tall tower and honestly it doesn't change much whether it was the tallest or third tallest tower, but we can't prove it and based on historical evidence it is unlikely to be a true fact.
Thank you for another great city review. Keep them coming. Also, I really love your buns ... (long pause) and other food reviews. You are so authentic and willing to say when something sucks. So, many other travel vloggers are always saying, "this is the best food I have ever had". I like an honest review, thanks!
Thanks for the kind words! We don’t want to diss any hard working business, but we also gotta tell it like we see it. It’s just our opinion on that moment. That bakery has amazing reviews all over the internet, so probably just got unlucky…
[3:41] "Kiek in de Kok", in Dutch "Kijk in de keuken"" ("glance in the kitchen"). Note that during the Hanze era (1450ish) people in a huge area, ranging from Flanders, Netherlands, North-Germany, Prussia, Baltic states, even until Nowgorod in Russia spoke low-German (Nederduits). Interestingly the present day Dutch language is closer to that low-German than modern German. Germans like to make fun a little about Dutch as being "platt Duutsch" (backward, country side German). You could also say that the Dutch still speak the original German (of the North).
@@nateandkatrinadotheworldTo elaborate a little. “Kiek in de kok” refers to the opportunity to look into the kitchens of the citizens from the watchtower. I made a car trip from Eindhoven to the Norwegian-Russian border in 2004, via Tallinn. I vaguely remember a naughty explanation offered to tourists in the tower that the object of interest were not so much the pots and panns in said kitchens, but more the kitchen maids. But maybe that’s just my feverish imagination. de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiek_in_de_Kök_(Tallinn)
The bastion passages were built on top of the ground and then soil brought on top. Bastion was angular and had levels and rows of cannons and the passages were for troops to get around unseen to the enemy, move from one bastion to another (curtain passages inbetween bastions), have access to cannons on top, and also for reconnaisance (if you noticed the clever devices there that were used back in the 17th century to track enemy movements). The oldest café in Estonia was in Narva, the baroque jewel of the north (the city was almost completely destroyed by the Soviets in early March 1944), opened back in the 1690s. The oldest café in Reval (Tallinn) was at the Town Hall Square (at the corner in front of the pharmacy) was opened by a Spanish guy in 1702 and closed in 1710 when close to 90% of city population died due to massive plague while the city was under the siege by Peter the Great. Prior to a dedicated café, people learnt to drink coffee in the pharmacy. St Catherine's Church used to be the largest churchbof the city and it suffered during the iconoclastic riot in September 1524. The lower city became Lutheran in 1525 and the Dominican Monastery was closed. The church was used as a hospital until there was fire and it burnt down in 1533. After that it was in ruins, later used as merchant warehouse, also a car shop (Mercedes-Benz) in the 1920s and 1930s, then in the Soviet era it was a repair shop (for cinematographic equipment). Only a part of the former church remained and in 1959 they brought some of the tombstones back from Rocca al Mare (Arthur Girard de Soucanton had taken these from that church back in the 19th century and created "Via Appia" near to his summer estate; sadly Soviets destroyed majority of these stones during WWII when the deliberately drove into them with their tanks) and they were put on display on the south wall of the church. Some of carved stone slates are remarkable. Like the one from 1381 belonging to Kuningunde Schotelmund (a lady had her very own stone without her husband, although the dogs at her feet symbolise her loyalty to him). Also the church door arches are worth seeing for their stone carvings. Sadly all this is under scaffolding at present. If you turn left when reaching Müürivahe, then the second courtyard to your left takes you to the monastery entrance. The courtyard is lovely. You can get inside the monastery from there. And there is also entrance to an artist studio and gallery that can be visited (in the basement at one side). Hopefully you can go to the monastery (of what remains of it) next time.
23:45 I reccomend to visit the bar/pub with the green door in the frame now. Owner is Sweedish and supper friendly guy and can cook real tasty food(good prices and good, fresh and healthy ingreedience), also should have a good assortment of forein beers.
Loved this tour. Can't wait to experience! That looked like quite the stay! How was the tub Nate?! I'm with ya on the baked goods Katrina. I'm a snob with ya. I used to teach home economics and food management courses so there is that too! 😂
A tourist should learn a little about history and understand that Estonia has been usurped many times. Russia has been and will remain our enemy. The church in Toompea is a symbol of Russian power and it disturbs us a lot. The misperception of tourists there is sad. Our culture is connected with Lutheranism. Another thing that really offends us is thinking that the Estonian language has some connection with the Russian language, well it doesn't!!! Today's young people even don't know Russian. My generation knows, but doesn't use it, because who really wants to speak the language of their enemy. Especially the families who have been deported by them to Siberia - suffered, lost their lives or survived it. Very many of them died of hunger, cold and disease. 20% of the population was taken away. Most women, children and the elderly. Now think about the population of your country and calculate how many people it is? Now maybe you understand the scale of it. Also, with the arrival of the Russians, thousands of families fled Estonia. We call them foreign Estonians. These families could not meet their relatives for almost 50 years! Now imagine the pain of being in a foreign country and not being able to go back to your homeland. There are many more nuances to talk about here. Leave it to you to find out for yourself from the videos on the net.even
@@nateandkatrinadotheworld I can definitely agree with that as you taste less of it when it's cold. However this made me consider drinking water instead.
I've seen some other videos of people doing tours of Tallinn, some better, some not. But it sure is interesting to see a city so familiar to you through someone else's fresh eyes. Your video and tour of Tallinn's Old Town was one of the best I've seen. I like you guys, you have some knowledge about you. Americans comfortably using Celsius and meters as units of measurement kind of says it all. Though one thing that bothered me a bit was that you spoke about seeing Tallinn but in reality the whole video was just the Old Town and nothing else (aside from mentioning the mix of medieval and modern). I think that was a pity because as coming and going I'm sure you was the contrast with the modern but did not film or edit it in. And another thing was talking about the center of the city and no cars and later I understood you meant the Town Hall square. Well, sure, it is very close to the city center but it is not, in fact. Old Town is Old Town, the center of the city as we understand it is nearby but in a different location and has a lot of very modern architecture about it. Though, I do get that in itself might not be something that spectacular to show off in a video. Another bit of modern Tallinn some other videos have shown is the Telliskivi Loomelinnak (Telliskivi Creative City) that is not too far off from the center or the Old Town and is a vibrant cafe-bar-business type of environment that one might call "hipster". Definitely a newer thing in Tallinn but made on the backbones of older industrial buildings so it is interesting for sure. But if you do come back and rent a car then perhaps visit some other parts of the city as well (for many public transport or Bolt is okay as well, surely). For example, Kalamaja and Kadriorg are these more cozy older neighborhoods with mostly wooden buildings that speak to you of Estonian past that is more recent than the Old Town but still something to experience. Near Kadriorg is the Song Festival grounds. Might not be THAT interesting but if you dive into the significance of it for Estonians and how important it is to our national identity and regaining our independence, the experience can run a lot deeper. I would recommend a documentary on this topic from Canadians called "The Singing Revoluton" (2006). That film is not that known among Estonians but it does capture this phenomenon quite well (as someone who has sang in a choir under that very song festival arch, it can give you a glimpse of what it means to an Estonian). And there is also Lasnamägi. One of the Soviet occupation time remnants -- a huge city area with many dull-looking tall apartment buildings. A fun fact -- the film "Tenet"'s car chase scene was filmed in a stretch of road passing that city block. I guess it is not a tourist spot, that city area, but it might give you a glimpse of another side of Estonia, the one that was pointed out to you about us not being very fond of oppressive symbols like the Nevski cathedral. Nature, sure, is one of the things that also set us apart a lot. Better visited during the summer time, of course. You should see bogs, which we are famous for. With their little board walks and public free camping areas all over the country, there's lots to see. And our islands are something else that might be interesting. During the winter the nature can be very beautiful as well. Sure, we don't have the famous Lapland and parts across the Nordic Circle as Finland does a lot of the weather and nature can be quite similar on some sense and so wintertime in Estonia can be something else off the beaten path that might be interesting. And of course, there's the Christmas Market in Old Town you mentioned which in different articles and such is often enough brought out as one of the most beautiful ones. Not very big but cozy and with a good vibe, sure. Anyway, I really enjoy you guys, it was something about the way you conducted yourself that made me take the time and look through this video and even take the time to write this video. PS. If you reside in Amsterdam (just going off the info in this video here), then some years back I enjoyed a nice little break in an American Beer Bar with a crazy wall full of taps and a selection of beers that us just bonkers. Be safe and hope you can enjoy some more of Estonia in the future. :)
Kiek in de kök (tower) is old Dutch/German for kijken in de keuken (looking in the kitchen). From the tower you could look in the kitchen of the Dutch and German (Hansa) vessels in the harbour of Tallinn
Tallinn is historical and beautiful and they have actually very good restaurants ( not the touristy ones ;-) ) for gourmet food lovers. Outside of Tallinn there is the Lahemaa Rahvuspark a huge bog swamp national park where you walk on wooden beams over the bog swamp soil. It has great views of untouched nature and if you are lucky you can see a moose. There is also a wonderful small beach town Paernu (Parnu with a dotted A) which I found nice to visit. And if you like to see how the Russians live travel to Narva. Bring your best Russian though because most of the citizens are Russians.
@@nateandkatrinadotheworld Estonia is famous for its islands, you can easily spend 2-3 days making round trip on big four(9% of country's land area) . Tho they aren't as much tourist oriented as you might think, so it would be more on your own to explore them.
Americans in Tallinn? Wow it's so cool. 🇺🇲We love you, Estonia is so far from America and you're great for coming to our Baltic country. Welcome to ESTONIA🇪🇪🇪🇪🇪🇪🇪🇪🇪🇪
Yeah, I don't know anyone in real life who actually cares about the Nevski cathedral enough to dislike it. It just exists. If the dislikes are because of that, then it's rather pointless.
great, in the summer it's worth going to Saaremaa and Muhumaa and definitely to Southern Estonia, then you'll see the "big" difference between small Estonia.
That russian church at Toompea was built when Russians made less than 10% in Estonia. It was built using granite and lead between stones to last forever
Hi. My wife and I (from Maine, USA) were there about a week after you. We currently teach English in Latvia. We loved Tallinn and were visiting Estonia for the first time too. You guys do a nice job zipping around and covering a lot of territory, and staying real. Apparently, we ate in the same Italian Restaurant on the same oldest street. (As a side note, I ordered the eggplant parm. there and was incredibly disappointed). I am surprised that you didn't mention, while you were in the oldest cafe, that you were right across from the Russian Embassy. I think you can mention that without being political. After all, it is an important tourist site in Tallinn. You did a nice job covering the Old Town. A nice add would have been the waterfront from the "Old City Hall," as they call it, a huge Soviet-era edifice near where the tour boats come in. Anyhow, you're getting a new subscriber.
Many thanks! We did see the embassy while at the cafe, it was certainly covered in signs and graffiti. We always miss some key places when we do a one day video… always too much to see. Many reasons for a return visit. Thanks for saying hello! 👋 Nate covered Maine for years in a sales territory and always really liked it there.
At @0:02 haha! Similar to that thought.... I found out Winter of 1998 something interesting. How do those old Churches get heated in winter? 🤔 They do not! 🤪🤣 At @4:00 interesting.... last time I was at Kiek in de Kök it was just the one Kiek in de Kök tower and the tunnels to be toured. At @6:33 just like Yusuf Dikec at the 2024 Olympics! 😎🥳 Oh.... did you count the towers at the Danish King's Garden as Kiek in de Kök? I would have considered them distinct from each other. At @16:35 and when Oleviste kirik was built, it was the tallest building in the entire world. 🥳😎 At @19:46 yes, only in Summer. We happened to be the last group up the first day the tower was open a couple of years ago. At @20:53 I understood part of the old town square paver stone upheaval is due to shops in the Christmas market running stove heaters sitting on the stones. 🤷♂
Danish flag was not from Toompea. It was said to fall from the sky, but it happened up hill if you go to Lasnamäe. That was the place were the battleground is
Fis first Tällinn is by territory is only 3,1 % ät Estoniän territory. Second old towns äre more then only Tällinn. mänors äre c 120 restored änd mänors pläces äre 500, näture is more like Cänädö
Hi Nate&Katrina! You need to come again for sure to see outside of the city, we have nice loghouses in the middle of nowhere just 50 km or so from the city central ...to enjoy saunas by the lake there and etc. ...btw your video was pretty good in sight about Tallinn...i wish you all the best for your upcoming travels!❤
There is a lot of greenery, just not in the old town, with its narrow streets. Lately, new trees and other items of greenery are being added to places where they have not been for decades.
We have a lot of greenery, relax. It is one of the greenest cities in the world actually. Already in the Old town, there is an entire circle of parks around the fortress, five different parks on various levels
Tore lugeda nii palju tarkasid koos. Nad teavad täpselt mis teema on Eestlastel kirikutes eriti Nevski omaga jne ......kahjuks pommitasid venelased 2 korda Tallinnat ja pool vanast linnamüüri st ja paljudest teistest vanadest hoonetest pole säilinud..Aga tore , et Ameerika inimestele meeldis . Heil!
One can say that the medieval looking Old Town is a gem of its own, but the rest of the city is a proper bumhole with no architectural significance whatsoever. Mostly rundown remnants of some random housing and unmatching styles..just look at Helsinki, Stockholm or Riga in comparison.
There are many well-preserved scenic areas in Tallinn. The wooden house districts are unique and beautiful. Maybe it's not your taste, but you can't tell that it's mostly rundown remnants.
@@Trammiliin_nr2 The wooden houses are exactly the ones that are mostly rundown de facto, a few of them might have been renovated over time by now, but mostly one sees gray-brown severly weathered wooden exterior linings, and things are not exactly great inside alike. In general, there's loads of basic Soviet-blocks in all directions from downtown, but no distinct district style. The only exception could be the Estonian specific section of Kadriorg, know also as the valley of St. Catherine.
@@firefighter625 what are you talking about?! Have you been to such districts in past 10 years? Most of the houses are renovated to original looks and flats are really expensive.
@@Trammiliin_nr2 Like hell! Original looks? What, flats without central heating? Many of those buildings used to be barracks for soldiers or simple accomodation for workers. They can't be all that expensive when compared to new developments. Maybe I should see for myself again one day, but as much as I can remember, even the main train station that was near the districts of those wooden houses seemed to be completely lacking basic functions and looked like some random commercial building, not to mention its surroundings being a total eyesore.
@@firefighter625 now it got even more confusing and I have no idea which districts you are talking about. I’m talking about scenic areas built in the end of Tsarist era or during the Estonian era before the occupation. For example Torupilli or Kassisaba. The issue that there’s presumably no central heating in some flats, doesn’t seem to be relevant from a tourist’s point of view if they happen to be interested in seeing a local architecture. If you prefer to live in a new development, it’s a question of personal taste and is irrelevant in exploring the city as a tourist. When I go to a foreign city I like to walk around and see what’s outside touristy areas and how the city looks like for a local. And there’s many beautiful areas to explore in Tallinn. Also, as a side note, I live in a “rundown barrack” with no central heating. I have 3 m ceilings, so it’s spacious, and autonomous heating system, so I can heat when I want. This is again a question of personal taste, but I find it extremely convenient. The price per square meter on my street in a freshly renovated building is 4500€.
Estonians hate the Alexander Nevski church. Not because it is Russian but because it was built during Russification attempts, to show power. Like another youtubers put it really well: it was Russia peeing in our Old town, to mark territory. It is a Gothic 13century town, and suddenly a 1900 Russian orthodox church: so out of context and so dominating. And not even anything beautiful: just an average church. we have much cuter orthodox churches here, with so much more soul, mostly wooden. I love those. But this one makes me just want to make it explode. Actually, there have been bills by the Estonian parliament twice during the first independence period to take it down (move it to another location). Unfortunately, it was never done.
It is so sad the way tourists come to Toompea hill, are all over that church, and then LEAVE. Never mind that there is a 13th century Gothic Dome Church a few steps further. Which was one of the first stone buildings here, that is architecturally and historically of a huge importance. Most tourists never find it or know to look for it. It is just sad. And all the other places and buildings on that hill.
It was also the only building you showed on Toompea. Toompea is the heart of Estonia, has been from ancient times. The Parliament is there, the first castle ever built here, with the tower that has the most important Estonian flag, the flag that has always shown who is in power. And it is a big deal that we have our flag there. It is taken down at every sunset and risen again at sunrise, except for Midsummer night when it never gets dark and the flag stays there for the night. The taking down and putting up of the flag is accompanied by the national anthem. Which always startles the tourists walking by because they think it a fire alarm or something.
Toompea also has office of the Prime minister, various embassies, various palaces used for different purposes today. In short: it has so much more than the boring and ugly Russian church from 1900. Toompea used to be not Tallinn but a different town with its own Laws and rulers. The two towns did not get along and even had a wall between them. The lower town belonged to merchants. The upper town-Toompea-belonged to German aristocrats who mainly lived in their country mansions. But moved to their Toompea castles in winters to be close to each other and mingle. Because in the Nordic winters they would be cut off from the world.
By the way, talking of onions, we call Russians onions. And that is the nicest name we have for them. (Kind of like the British call the French frogs)
As for filming: it is not allowed in any orthodox churches anywhere in the world.
Cars ARE allowed. But it is inconvenient because pedestrians have first right all over Old Town and cars have to drive at walking speed. And parking there is really expensive.
Yes, we are a quiet culture. We do not speak louder than necessary (I do not even understand why in most cultures people talk as if the person they were talking to was deaf) We do not scream so much. And we are one of the least populated country in the world. So not too many people, that also makes it quiet. But it was Monday and November. So that helps too. Summer night weekends are not so quiet.
The underground passages were made by the Swedes in 17t century
My grandmother was in there during the bombing of Tallinn. She was 11. I watched the filming of that bombing in exactly the same place.
The headless monks in the Danish King Garden are lit inside in the dark. Tallinn is really cool in the dark. First of all, the lighting of the wall and towers and buildings is designed so that you can see all the different layers throughout history. Also, it is just cool with the lights. And less people and even more quiet. We are actually very proud of the silence we have. And the space. And the way we respect the privacy of other people. Some interpret that as shyness but it has nothing to do with that. It is just an introvert's paradise.
As for ghosts, we have loads of them. there was a tradition of Ghost tours started by one of our previous prime ministers. Unfortunately he had a stroke and is no longer able to do those tours but others have taken over. It is a really cool tradition we have, to learn our own history through this haunting folklore
We do not ruin drinks with ice.
Maiasmokk is not a tourist place at all. We go there all the time.
Opium came a bit later than the Middle ages
Came to say this as well how much we hate that Nevski.
Appreciate all the info. You have a beautiful city, and despite the quiet vibes, we felt very welcome, and really enjoyed seeing just a little piece of Tallinn.
Thanks so much for watching and offering the great response here!
@@nateandkatrinadotheworld Glad you felt welcome here. This is what most people say. And it is also statistically proven that it is very safe here. Also psychologically. We respect the personal space of others so you can just do whatever, nobody will bother you or give any unwanted attention.
@@kanaaju2007 and how Western tourist drool over it. They keep saying how beautiful it is, when in fact they only seem to like it because it's Russian and therefore exotic. Plus confirmation bias, of course - the only thing many of them know about Estonia is that it "used to be part of Russia" and God forbid they'd do any research before arriving here. Fortunately it seems to be a diminishing trend, and many visitors are far better informed or at least inquisitive these days. There is a certain new tendency emerging, however: people who admire Russia from afar because they are too scared to actually go there. Schizoprenic, isn't it? So they see Estonia and the rest of the Baltics as some kind of surrogate Russia or the closest they can get or are willing to go, so it will have to pass for the "real thing".
@xwiirastusx I have been to multiple cities in Russia. I will take Tallinn any day. ✌️
The historical architectural influence from Russia ( excluding the Soviet times) is entirely limited to orthodox churches. The numbers of those is many times smaller than historically catholic/protestant churches.
Really ? Even your presidential palace in Kadriorg is built by the zar. Tallinn is full of buildings built during the tsarist period.
he first estonian architect is considered to be the civil engineer Georg Hellati, who in 1901-1902 designed the house of the estonian students' association. everything that was built before that was designed by Germans, Swedes, and Russians.the Estonian himself was an uneducated farmer who could not build anything except a farmhouse.
@@veikko-tc1gi Kadriorg Park (Yekateriniental) was built by an Italian architect Niccolo Machetti.
Noch Einmal for that talented tanker: Kadriorg Park as well as the famous Cascade in Peterhof was built by an Italian architect Niccolo Machetti.
@@veikko-tc1gireally? It’s actually the building of the Office of the President, and it was built in 1938, designed by architect Alar Kotli. Or are you talking about the Kadriorg Art Museum? Built by Italian architect, but who cares, right 😅
I'm Estonian and haven't been to the Kiek in de Kök museum yet 😅 After seeing your video, I will definitely go. Didn't expect it to be that cool.
Estonians do not like ice in their drinks. Its cold enough here in autumn and winter times :D
Old town square has got this uneven with past 2-3years. Nobody knows why exactly. But they try to somewhat fix it for summer period and in 5y to make total reconstruction to it. There are no sewer systems beneath it, so all the water just stays underneath the cobblestone and then when it freezes with the cold, it lifts it and lowers it constantly when weather warms up.
In Estonia the weather is so inconsistent. It freezes one day and may just warm up the other day.
Wow, that’s crazy!
You didnt visit st Nicolas church? Niguliste kirik. It is also a great sight to see. It has a elevator to get up 😅
19:26 Center of Old Town, Yes it also used to be the world's tallest building.
Fun fact.
The tradition of decorating a Christmas tree come from old town or to be more exact, the first time a cristmas tree was decorated in the world was in old town.
Riga also claims this!
@@nateandkatrinadotheworld
They claim about just tree, Tallinn claims the first decorated christmas tree.
Also story about(the christmas tree and decorating it) "mustpeade maja" aka. blak heads house, you need to ask a guide about it, i don't remember the story well.
@@KrK-EST st olaf's fun fact is also... questionable.
Based on stories the tower used to be about 40 meters higher, the roof has been rebuilt numerous times and there was no precise measurements taken when it was supposedly the tallest, so realistically speaking it's mostly a legend.
It definitely was and is a tall tower and honestly it doesn't change much whether it was the tallest or third tallest tower, but we can't prove it and based on historical evidence it is unlikely to be a true fact.
Thank you for another great city review. Keep them coming. Also, I really love your buns ... (long pause) and other food reviews. You are so authentic and willing to say when something sucks. So, many other travel vloggers are always saying, "this is the best food I have ever had". I like an honest review, thanks!
Thanks for the kind words! We don’t want to diss any hard working business, but we also gotta tell it like we see it. It’s just our opinion on that moment. That bakery has amazing reviews all over the internet, so probably just got unlucky…
[3:41] "Kiek in de Kok", in Dutch "Kijk in de keuken"" ("glance in the kitchen"). Note that during the Hanze era (1450ish) people in a huge area, ranging from Flanders, Netherlands, North-Germany, Prussia, Baltic states, even until Nowgorod in Russia spoke low-German (Nederduits). Interestingly the present day Dutch language is closer to that low-German than modern German. Germans like to make fun a little about Dutch as being "platt Duutsch" (backward, country side German). You could also say that the Dutch still speak the original German (of the North).
in dacht gelijk al dat is gewoon Gronings, dank voor je uitleg
30% of all loan words in Estonian are from Low German.
Makes sense! We knew the translation to Dutch, but weren’t sure why until later… 👍
@@Schurkie505Ja, Kiek in de keuk n! Ik was verwonderd toen ik het zag. In de stad Groningen heb je de Kiek in 't Jatstraat.
@@nateandkatrinadotheworldTo elaborate a little. “Kiek in de kok” refers to the opportunity to look into the kitchens of the citizens from the watchtower. I made a car trip from Eindhoven to the Norwegian-Russian border in 2004, via Tallinn. I vaguely remember a naughty explanation offered to tourists in the tower that the object of interest were not so much the pots and panns in said kitchens, but more the kitchen maids. But maybe that’s just my feverish imagination. de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiek_in_de_Kök_(Tallinn)
Lovely city! And a very enjoyable video as always!
Glad you enjoyed it! We feel like Estonia will be a place we return to….
The bastion passages were built on top of the ground and then soil brought on top. Bastion was angular and had levels and rows of cannons and the passages were for troops to get around unseen to the enemy, move from one bastion to another (curtain passages inbetween bastions), have access to cannons on top, and also for reconnaisance (if you noticed the clever devices there that were used back in the 17th century to track enemy movements).
The oldest café in Estonia was in Narva, the baroque jewel of the north (the city was almost completely destroyed by the Soviets in early March 1944), opened back in the 1690s.
The oldest café in Reval (Tallinn) was at the Town Hall Square (at the corner in front of the pharmacy) was opened by a Spanish guy in 1702 and closed in 1710 when close to 90% of city population died due to massive plague while the city was under the siege by Peter the Great. Prior to a dedicated café, people learnt to drink coffee in the pharmacy.
St Catherine's Church used to be the largest churchbof the city and it suffered during the iconoclastic riot in September 1524. The lower city became Lutheran in 1525 and the Dominican Monastery was closed. The church was used as a hospital until there was fire and it burnt down in 1533. After that it was in ruins, later used as merchant warehouse, also a car shop (Mercedes-Benz) in the 1920s and 1930s, then in the Soviet era it was a repair shop (for cinematographic equipment). Only a part of the former church remained and in 1959 they brought some of the tombstones back from Rocca al Mare (Arthur Girard de Soucanton had taken these from that church back in the 19th century and created "Via Appia" near to his summer estate; sadly Soviets destroyed majority of these stones during WWII when the deliberately drove into them with their tanks) and they were put on display on the south wall of the church. Some of carved stone slates are remarkable. Like the one from 1381 belonging to Kuningunde Schotelmund (a lady had her very own stone without her husband, although the dogs at her feet symbolise her loyalty to him).
Also the church door arches are worth seeing for their stone carvings. Sadly all this is under scaffolding at present. If you turn left when reaching Müürivahe, then the second courtyard to your left takes you to the monastery entrance. The courtyard is lovely. You can get inside the monastery from there. And there is also entrance to an artist studio and gallery that can be visited (in the basement at one side). Hopefully you can go to the monastery (of what remains of it) next time.
23:45 I reccomend to visit the bar/pub with the green door in the frame now.
Owner is Sweedish and supper friendly guy and can cook real tasty food(good prices and good, fresh and healthy ingreedience), also should have a good assortment of forein beers.
Loved this tour. Can't wait to experience! That looked like quite the stay! How was the tub Nate?! I'm with ya on the baked goods Katrina. I'm a snob with ya. I used to teach home economics and food management courses so there is that too! 😂
A tourist should learn a little about history and understand that Estonia has been usurped many times. Russia has been and will remain our enemy. The church in Toompea is a symbol of Russian power and it disturbs us a lot. The misperception of tourists there is sad. Our culture is connected with Lutheranism.
Another thing that really offends us is thinking that the Estonian language has some connection with the Russian language, well it doesn't!!! Today's young people even don't know Russian. My generation knows, but doesn't use it, because who really wants to speak the language of their enemy. Especially the families who have been deported by them to Siberia - suffered, lost their lives or survived it. Very many of them died of hunger, cold and disease. 20% of the population was taken away. Most women, children and the elderly. Now think about the population of your country and calculate how many people it is? Now maybe you understand the scale of it. Also, with the arrival of the Russians, thousands of families fled Estonia. We call them foreign Estonians. These families could not meet their relatives for almost 50 years! Now imagine the pain of being in a foreign country and not being able to go back to your homeland. There are many more nuances to talk about here. Leave it to you to find out for yourself from the videos on the net.even
why would you put ice in your drink while it's cold outside.
Nate feels strongly that diet soda tastes better when it is ice cold…. ❄️
@@nateandkatrinadotheworld I can definitely agree with that as you taste less of it when it's cold. However this made me consider drinking water instead.
I've seen some other videos of people doing tours of Tallinn, some better, some not. But it sure is interesting to see a city so familiar to you through someone else's fresh eyes. Your video and tour of Tallinn's Old Town was one of the best I've seen. I like you guys, you have some knowledge about you. Americans comfortably using Celsius and meters as units of measurement kind of says it all. Though one thing that bothered me a bit was that you spoke about seeing Tallinn but in reality the whole video was just the Old Town and nothing else (aside from mentioning the mix of medieval and modern). I think that was a pity because as coming and going I'm sure you was the contrast with the modern but did not film or edit it in. And another thing was talking about the center of the city and no cars and later I understood you meant the Town Hall square. Well, sure, it is very close to the city center but it is not, in fact. Old Town is Old Town, the center of the city as we understand it is nearby but in a different location and has a lot of very modern architecture about it. Though, I do get that in itself might not be something that spectacular to show off in a video.
Another bit of modern Tallinn some other videos have shown is the Telliskivi Loomelinnak (Telliskivi Creative City) that is not too far off from the center or the Old Town and is a vibrant cafe-bar-business type of environment that one might call "hipster". Definitely a newer thing in Tallinn but made on the backbones of older industrial buildings so it is interesting for sure. But if you do come back and rent a car then perhaps visit some other parts of the city as well (for many public transport or Bolt is okay as well, surely). For example, Kalamaja and Kadriorg are these more cozy older neighborhoods with mostly wooden buildings that speak to you of Estonian past that is more recent than the Old Town but still something to experience. Near Kadriorg is the Song Festival grounds. Might not be THAT interesting but if you dive into the significance of it for Estonians and how important it is to our national identity and regaining our independence, the experience can run a lot deeper. I would recommend a documentary on this topic from Canadians called "The Singing Revoluton" (2006). That film is not that known among Estonians but it does capture this phenomenon quite well (as someone who has sang in a choir under that very song festival arch, it can give you a glimpse of what it means to an Estonian). And there is also Lasnamägi. One of the Soviet occupation time remnants -- a huge city area with many dull-looking tall apartment buildings. A fun fact -- the film "Tenet"'s car chase scene was filmed in a stretch of road passing that city block. I guess it is not a tourist spot, that city area, but it might give you a glimpse of another side of Estonia, the one that was pointed out to you about us not being very fond of oppressive symbols like the Nevski cathedral.
Nature, sure, is one of the things that also set us apart a lot. Better visited during the summer time, of course. You should see bogs, which we are famous for. With their little board walks and public free camping areas all over the country, there's lots to see. And our islands are something else that might be interesting. During the winter the nature can be very beautiful as well. Sure, we don't have the famous Lapland and parts across the Nordic Circle as Finland does a lot of the weather and nature can be quite similar on some sense and so wintertime in Estonia can be something else off the beaten path that might be interesting. And of course, there's the Christmas Market in Old Town you mentioned which in different articles and such is often enough brought out as one of the most beautiful ones. Not very big but cozy and with a good vibe, sure.
Anyway, I really enjoy you guys, it was something about the way you conducted yourself that made me take the time and look through this video and even take the time to write this video.
PS. If you reside in Amsterdam (just going off the info in this video here), then some years back I enjoyed a nice little break in an American Beer Bar with a crazy wall full of taps and a selection of beers that us just bonkers. Be safe and hope you can enjoy some more of Estonia in the future. :)
Kiek in de kök (tower) is old Dutch/German for kijken in de keuken (looking in the kitchen). From the tower you could look in the kitchen of the Dutch and German (Hansa) vessels in the harbour of Tallinn
Estonian translation would be “Kiika kööki” ( look into the kitchen). “Kiikama” is a less used synonym of “vaatama” , to look.
We knew it was Dutch(ish)! 😁
Hello from LATIVA !!!!
When i moved here from Ga , USA 10 yrs ago that was one of the things I noticed also. SOOO QUIET .
It needs to be dooey...those buns work at least here that way and we like it ;)
Tallinn is historical and beautiful and they have actually very good restaurants ( not the touristy ones ;-) ) for gourmet food lovers. Outside of Tallinn there is the Lahemaa Rahvuspark a huge bog swamp national park where you walk on wooden beams over the bog swamp soil. It has great views of untouched nature and if you are lucky you can see a moose. There is also a wonderful small beach town Paernu (Parnu with a dotted A) which I found nice to visit. And if you like to see how the Russians live travel to Narva. Bring your best Russian though because most of the citizens are Russians.
Nice ideas. We really would love to come back in n the warmer months to see the country.
@@nateandkatrinadotheworld Estonia is famous for its islands, you can easily spend 2-3 days making round trip on big four(9% of country's land area) . Tho they aren't as much tourist oriented as you might think, so it would be more on your own to explore them.
Americans in Tallinn? Wow it's so cool. 🇺🇲We love you, Estonia is so far from America and you're great for coming to our Baltic country.
Welcome to ESTONIA🇪🇪🇪🇪🇪🇪🇪🇪🇪🇪
Thanks! We had a great trip, it was just too short. Hopefully we will be back to explore more someday!
Yeah, I don't know anyone in real life who actually cares about the Nevski cathedral enough to dislike it. It just exists. If the dislikes are because of that, then it's rather pointless.
Wat leuk dat je veel ontdekt hebt in Estland! 👍
We really had a great time and hope to come back and see more of the country!
great, in the summer it's worth going to Saaremaa and Muhumaa and definitely to Southern Estonia, then you'll see the "big" difference between small Estonia.
Would be great to visit then!
That russian church at Toompea was built when Russians made less than 10% in Estonia. It was built using granite and lead between stones to last forever
I live in jõgeva,estonia but I was born in tallinn,estonia
Hi. My wife and I (from Maine, USA) were there about a week after you. We currently teach English in Latvia. We loved Tallinn and were visiting Estonia for the first time too. You guys do a nice job zipping around and covering a lot of territory, and staying real. Apparently, we ate in the same Italian Restaurant on the same oldest street. (As a side note, I ordered the eggplant parm. there and was incredibly disappointed). I am surprised that you didn't mention, while you were in the oldest cafe, that you were right across from the Russian Embassy. I think you can mention that without being political. After all, it is an important tourist site in Tallinn. You did a nice job covering the Old Town. A nice add would have been the waterfront from the "Old City Hall," as they call it, a huge Soviet-era edifice near where the tour boats come in. Anyhow, you're getting a new subscriber.
Many thanks!
We did see the embassy while at the cafe, it was certainly covered in signs and graffiti.
We always miss some key places when we do a one day video… always too much to see. Many reasons for a return visit.
Thanks for saying hello! 👋
Nate covered Maine for years in a sales territory and always really liked it there.
im sorry that your eye is still bad. your vlogs are so great. thank you.
Thank you so much! The eye finally healed… Thankfully it will be better on the next video!
At @0:02 haha! Similar to that thought.... I found out Winter of 1998 something interesting. How do those old Churches get heated in winter? 🤔 They do not! 🤪🤣 At @4:00 interesting.... last time I was at Kiek in de Kök it was just the one Kiek in de Kök tower and the tunnels to be toured. At @6:33 just like Yusuf Dikec at the 2024 Olympics! 😎🥳 Oh.... did you count the towers at the Danish King's Garden as Kiek in de Kök? I would have considered them distinct from each other. At @16:35 and when Oleviste kirik was built, it was the tallest building in the entire world. 🥳😎 At @19:46 yes, only in Summer. We happened to be the last group up the first day the tower was open a couple of years ago. At @20:53 I understood part of the old town square paver stone upheaval is due to shops in the Christmas market running stove heaters sitting on the stones. 🤷♂
I live in estonia but have never been to those places so maybe a time to go
I saw you two on the ship I work on. 😅
Good to be stewardess on ship on Helsinki Tallinn route
Wow, what a small world! That seems like a super fun job! ✌️
What camera and what microphones you use?
Very clear picture and sound.
Sony FX3 (overkill, but fun!) and the Sony ECM-B1M mic. Thanks!
Ommik veelkord. Njah Tallinna vanalinn oli on tõesti üks pärle keskaegsest ajastust . 😊
Precious are the moments, that create themselves only when, if promised.
Do you promise?
Nice! Appreciate the more accurate translation!
Aga palun 🙂
Allowed, not promised. Makes much more sense once you think about it.
you can stay forever if you like it so much! visit also real Estland.
Baltic countrys amd Poland are one of one most safest countrys right now in World.. they are not messed with muslim and african imigrants..
Missed opportunity to go full Bond villain and wear glasses with one dark lens.
Damn. Great call.
Danish flag was not from Toompea. It was said to fall from the sky, but it happened up hill if you go to Lasnamäe. That was the place were the battleground is
14:08 American way: "need more ice".
The sax background music is what i like about this video. Otherwise, being estonian.... well....
Im a bit drunk, but danish flag decended on their ship in the sea
Fis first Tällinn is by territory is only 3,1 % ät Estoniän territory. Second old towns äre more then only Tällinn. mänors äre c 120 restored änd mänors pläces äre 500, näture is more like Cänädö
Hey this kinda looks like the place where I live
I live in Estonia and I have been there all the time
Hi Nate&Katrina! You need to come again for sure to see outside of the city, we have nice loghouses in the middle of nowhere just 50 km or so from the city
central ...to enjoy saunas by the lake there and etc. ...btw your video was pretty good in sight about Tallinn...i wish you all the best for your upcoming travels!❤
Tallinn looks great, but needs more trees and other greenery
There is a lot of greenery, just not in the old town, with its narrow streets. Lately, new trees and other items of greenery are being added to places where they have not been for decades.
@henrikmanitski1061 Well, use some potted plants or so.
It was very pretty, especially with the leaves changing!
We have a lot of greenery, relax. It is one of the greenest cities in the world actually. Already in the Old town, there is an entire circle of parks around the fortress, five different parks on various levels
Maiasmokk is not really touristy spot actually
Town of the danes.
Tore lugeda nii palju tarkasid koos. Nad teavad täpselt mis teema on Eestlastel kirikutes eriti Nevski omaga jne ......kahjuks pommitasid venelased 2 korda Tallinnat ja pool vanast linnamüüri st ja paljudest teistest vanadest hoonetest pole säilinud..Aga tore , et Ameerika inimestele meeldis . Heil!
Susection for US citizen who first time in Estoniä... mke homework trhu im internet c 2 hour reächers ...
Whining about ice to your drink is so typically American and childish! We do not use ice that much, get used to it.
(Jokes, bro, jokes)
One can say that the medieval looking Old Town is a gem of its own, but the rest of the city is a proper bumhole with no architectural significance whatsoever. Mostly rundown remnants of some random housing and unmatching styles..just look at Helsinki, Stockholm or Riga in comparison.
There are many well-preserved scenic areas in Tallinn. The wooden house districts are unique and beautiful. Maybe it's not your taste, but you can't tell that it's mostly rundown remnants.
@@Trammiliin_nr2 The wooden houses are exactly the ones that are mostly rundown de facto, a few of them might have been renovated over time by now, but mostly one sees gray-brown severly weathered wooden exterior linings, and things are not exactly great inside alike. In general, there's loads of basic Soviet-blocks in all directions from downtown, but no distinct district style. The only exception could be the Estonian specific section of Kadriorg, know also as the valley of St. Catherine.
@@firefighter625 what are you talking about?! Have you been to such districts in past 10 years? Most of the houses are renovated to original looks and flats are really expensive.
@@Trammiliin_nr2 Like hell! Original looks? What, flats without central heating? Many of those buildings used to be barracks for soldiers or simple accomodation for workers. They can't be all that expensive when compared to new developments. Maybe I should see for myself again one day, but as much as I can remember, even the main train station that was near the districts of those wooden houses seemed to be completely lacking basic functions and looked like some random commercial building, not to mention its surroundings being a total eyesore.
@@firefighter625 now it got even more confusing and I have no idea which districts you are talking about. I’m talking about scenic areas built in the end of Tsarist era or during the Estonian era before the occupation. For example Torupilli or Kassisaba. The issue that there’s presumably no central heating in some flats, doesn’t seem to be relevant from a tourist’s point of view if they happen to be interested in seeing a local architecture. If you prefer to live in a new development, it’s a question of personal taste and is irrelevant in exploring the city as a tourist. When I go to a foreign city I like to walk around and see what’s outside touristy areas and how the city looks like for a local. And there’s many beautiful areas to explore in Tallinn.
Also, as a side note, I live in a “rundown barrack” with no central heating. I have 3 m ceilings, so it’s spacious, and autonomous heating system, so I can heat when I want. This is again a question of personal taste, but I find it extremely convenient. The price per square meter on my street in a freshly renovated building is 4500€.