Vanalinn, Medieval district in Tallinn, Estonia
Vanalinn is a medieval district in Tallinn with two distinct sections: the Lower Town with moats and defensive walls, and the Upper Town on Toompea Hill featuring a castle. The streets are narrow and winding, buildings stand closely together, and you find churches, merchant houses, and craft workshops from several centuries throughout.
The area was captured by Danish forces under King Valdemar II in 1219, leading to a new castle being built on Toompea Hill. Over the following centuries, the district grew into an important trading hub with merchants from many countries who shaped the city through their regional headquarters.
The marketplace shows how merchants and guild members shaped daily life here - the narrow streets and townhouses reflect their importance to the city. You still see traces of these craft traditions in the architecture and buildings used today as shops and workshops.
Exploring here requires comfortable shoes since the cobblestone streets are uneven and there are many slopes climbing toward the Upper Town. The Town Hall Square in the Lower Town is the best starting point from which all major buildings and routes are easy to reach.
Twenty preserved defensive towers dating from 1265 are connected by about 2.4 kilometers of fortification walls that still surround the district today. These structures are not merely functional but shape the entire appearance of the district and offer surprising views of the city from many points.
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