The capital of Estonia, Tallinn has suffered numerous invasions over its long history. Today the port city of Tallinn is a center of culture, entertainment, and business in Estonia.

Places of interest

Although Tallinn has modern buildings, many structures of Tallinn's past survive or have been restored. For example, Pikk Street is lined with 15th-century German houses. The Gothic-style Town Hall was built in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. The Oleviste Church has a 407-foot (124-meter) tower that is a famous landmark in Tallinn. Toompea castle, also known for its towers, is the meeting place of Estonia's parliament.

There are also many museums, theaters, parks, and places of education in Tallinn. The State History Museum, with exhibits about Estonian history, is located inside the Great Guild, built in 1410. The Art Museum of Estonia has displays of West European and Russian art, medieval painting and sculpture, and classical and modern Estonian art. Toompark is the largest central park in Tallinn. The city is also home to the Estonian Academy of Sciences and the Tallinn University of Educational Sciences.

Economy

Tallinn is the main economic center of Estonia. The service sector is an important part of the city's economy. Many Tallinn residents work in service-related fields, which include office, computer, and financial jobs. Tallinn is also a major commercial port, and the city has a busy industrial sector. Among the goods that its factories makes are textiles, food products, furniture, building materials, machinery, and electronics. Its historic buildings and neighborhoods make tourism an important part of Tallinn's economy as well.

History

Tallinn existed as a trade settlement for hundreds of years, and by the 12th century it had grown into a town. In the 13th century, the city came under the rule of Denmark, followed by the German-dominated Hanseatic League. The city grew rapidly during the 14th and 15th centuries. Beginning in the 16th century, many groups, including Swedes, Danes, Poles, and Lithuanians, fought over the region. In 1710, the Russian leader Peter the Great (Peter I) captured Tallinn. It remained a Russian city until Estonia gained independence in 1918.

Estonia became part of the Soviet Union in 1940. From 1941 to 1944, during World War II, the Germans occupied Tallinn. Soviet forces eventually regained control of the city, but not before it was severely damaged. After the war many Russians came to live in the city because it was an important center of Soviet industry. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Tallinn and the rest of Estonia became independent once again. In 1997 Tallinn's Old Town was made a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site. Population (2001 estimate), 399,850.