Commandant's House in Tallinn

The Commandant's House is a Baroque residential building in Tallinn's Old Town with symmetrical facades and wooden clapboard siding. It features characteristic details that mark dwellings of military officials from this era and stands distinctly apart from other merchant houses nearby.

The building was constructed to serve as the official residence for military commanders overseeing the city's defense works. Over the centuries it experienced various occupants and modifications while remaining an important landmark in the Old Town's physical development.

The residence shows how military officials and their families lived in the Old Town and where decisions affecting the city were made. Its construction reflects that the commandant was a wealthy and important figure whose home stood apart from simpler dwellings nearby.

The building stands among the narrow streets of the Old Town and is easily explored on foot, especially when wandering the streets around the cathedral area. The best view of the facade comes from street level, as the interior is not open to the public.

The house retained its original Baroque details over centuries while the Old Town around it was constantly renewed. Its continuity makes it an important anchor point for understanding Tallinn's complex past.