Toompea is a plateau around 150 ft above sea level, which may not sound very high, but was high enough to give commanding views of the surrounding area, and no matter who’s been in charge of the country during the last 800 years, it’s been where Estonia has been governed from – and still is today.

Originally, the main route up to Toompea was via Pikk Jalg (Long Leg Street), and was built with horse and carts in mind: It’s the oldest street in Tallinn and also one of the longest, but the shortest route up from St Nicholas Church is by taking Lühike jalg, which if you haven’t already guessed, means ‘Short Leg Street’. You may have also noticed that I said ‘shortest’ and not ‘quickest’, and that’s because it’s the steepest street in Tallinn. The names of these two streets have given Tallinn the label, the city that limps, just like I was doing by the time I reached the top, and before I forget, Short Leg Street also has the dubious honour of being the most haunted street in Tallinn. After climbing the final steps and under the medieval tower I emerged at Toompea and the Russian Orthodox Aleksander Nevsky Cathedral.

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Originally posted 2024-12-21 13:48:31.