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Tallinn 2017
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These stone gates welcome you to the Old Town of Tallinn. Ahead is one of the main thoroughfares of the Old Town.

The tower in the distance, mid-picture, is part of the Town Hall.
The Town Hall sits in the main square of the Old Town.
The main square is always a lively place.
My apartment/hotel was just behind this shot. Great location.

On the left you can see a little sign with an "i". That is the local tourist information office and the staff were very friendly and helpful. They gave me great advice on where to go and where to eat.

And that is the Town Hall tower on the right.
This Vegan restaurant was one of the recommendations from the Tourist Office. I may be an omnivore but I certainly enjoyed the delicious food here. Lovely ambience.
Another interior view of the restaurant.
There are not too many straight streets in the Old Town.
Old, and much older!
From the top of the hill, there are great views of the Old Town and beyond.
This is the Church of St Nicholas which is now a museum. Religion was severely repressed during the Soviet era and many church buildings were made into warehouses or "Museums of Atheism".

This particular church was destined to be demolished on the orders of the Soviet Government in Moscow, but a small group of local Communist Party members managed to stop that from happening.
This is the Alexande Nevsky Cathedral. It is a Russian orthodox church. Alas, no photos allowed to be taken inside.

The Cathedral was built between 1894 and 1900 when Estonia was part of the Russian Empire ruled by the Romanovs. It was so hated by many Estonians as a symbol of Russian dominance that in 1924, when Estonia was independant, this Cathedral was destined to be demolished. However, lack of funds meant that the demolition never took place. Phew!
Another view of the main gate. The next few photos explore this part of the Old Town.
This is St Mary's Cathedral, better known as the Dome Church. It was a Catholic Cathedral at first, but was transferred to the Lutherans in 1561.
Heavens above! One is allowed to take photos of the interior of this Cathedral.
The Dome Church has an interesting collection of these heraldic badges.
It was a bit of a hike to the Kumu Art Museum in Tallinn, but it was worth it as I passed through pleasant parks with cute wooden buildings along the way.
The Kumu Art Museum is one of the largest in Estonia. It houses both temporary and permanent collections of art, documenting the changing cultural landscape as Estonia progressed through various social and political phases.
This painting in the Museum is by the Estonian artist Konrad Magi (1878 - 1925). His modernist works are inspired by nature.
During the Soviet era, post WW2, Socialist Realism was imposed on artistic work in Estonia. This picture... "Tractor Drivers Taking up the Challenge of Socialist Competition"... was painted by Victor Karrus and Roman Treeuman.

I am reminded of a joke made by the Soviet composer Sergei Prokofiev. When asked what "Socialist Realism in Music" meant, Prokofiev replied, "Socialist Realism in Music means tunes Stalin can whistle."
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