Tallinn is a city with the quaint gothic architecture of a medieval village. Like many of the Baltic cities we visited, the buildings are colorful and ornate. Old Town was a short walk from our cruise ship, but we chose to hire a taxi for a quick tour of the city.
Here's a closeup of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral we chose for our first destination. it was built in the late 19th century in Russian Revival style when Estonia was still part of the Russian Empire.
Toompea Castle (left) now houses Parliament.
St. Olaf's Church (right) is one of more than ten in the city of Tallinn. And finally, St. Mary's Cathedral (below).
In one of the touristy souvenir shops adjacent to a lookout point with breathtaking views of the city, I found this little gem. I don't mean to get all political in this blog, so please forgive me. Throughout our trip, we would see matryoshka (nesting) dolls in every gift shop and on our boat. Here is a chess set where some of the pieces are famous
U.S. Presidents and Soviet Leaders. It's hilarious that they are mere pawns in the game.
Truly you can find Art in historic buildings and appreciate the precious Architecture that has been so long preserved for us to see. I would have liked to visit an art or natural history museum, but again there wasn't time. Instead, I appreciated the beauty of the Old Town part of this city.
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