Aleksander Nevsky Cathedral
by bugulma
The cathedral was built on Toompea Hill in 1900by architect Preobrazhensky. The church is dedicated to Alexander Nevsky, who was the army leader in the battle in XIII century and then became the sint in orthodox church. Before the building of the cathedral, there was a garden on the same site, in front of Toompea Castle, with a memorial to Martin Luther. The church's belltowers hold Tallinn's most powerful church bell ensemble, consisting of 11 bells, including the largest in Tallinn, weighing 15 tonnes. You can hear the entire bell ensemble playing before church services.
City panoramas
by Raimix
Tallinn is quite panoramic place. I will write down all these places, where could be see good panoramas:
1) St. Olav's church (Oleviste church). You have to pay some money to go up by stairs and see panorama from tallest church in Tallinn. I think the most beautiful view is to Toompea castle. From this place I think the best panorama of all old town could be seen and a view to the sea with all these big ships.
2) Radisson SAS hotel. When coming to this tall building in Tallinn centre better to say how to get to the bar at top floor. The lift takes you up and from this place you can see old town at one side and new town at other sides with all these new skyscraper buildings.
3) Toompea castle hill. There is a view to lower part of old town. In some places of Toompea hill panorama is quite interesting, as view of old town buildings is mixed with modern skyscrapers.
4.) A view from the sea to old town and port. When standing near Russalka monument some spires of old town buildings could be seen and the sea.
The only note of this denomination I've ever seen
by CatherineReichardt
(work in progress)
Beneath that conventional reserved exterior, Estonia quietly marches to its own drummer, and has a particular talent for putting its own quietly unique spin on things.
Even in their (now former) currency, they expressed their national individuality by issuing a bank note in a denomination of 25 krooni - something I don't recall ever seeing elsewhere. I am used to note denominations going 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and so forth, and although I've come across coins with a denomination of 25 (for example, the quarter in the USA), I've never seen it in a note.
All of this is, of course, now academic, since Estonia entered the Euro Zone on 1 January 2011 (and the kroon ceased to be legal tender on 14 January 2011) but it's one of those little quirks that goes to prove that once you scratch beneath that conservative exterior, Estonia is an unexpectedly funky place!
Postcript: Since posting this as a discussion topic on the miscellaneous forum to satisfy my curiosity, I am endebted to travelfrosch for letting me know that Holland had a 25 guilder note before it entered the Euro zone, and SangAji, who says that Brunei issued a $25 note to mark the silver jubilee of the sultan's coronation (these are apparently still in circulation but have become a collectors item).
Stone ?pigeons
by leics
I liked these. At first I thought they were a specific sculpture, but then I saw them in various other places and realised they were just a rather attractive way of stopping people from parking on the pavements.
So much more attractive than bollards or blocks of concrete, and I can't imagine they are much more expensive. Some of the ?pigeons have their heads down, some are just looking around.
Very nice idea.
Ladies in the windows
by lalikes
Every evening we would have to walk down this particular street to get to our hotel. We would see the same lady sitting in the window. We thought she was a mannequin or something. Of course, we did realize there are places that service men. But one night I pulled out my camera to take a photo and the woman in the window put up her finger to "tsk, tsk, tsk" me. I snapped the photo but we were so freaked out. We thought she wasn't real. Unfortunately, you can't get the full effect from my photo but I was not about to try and take another one.
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St Olaf's Church, Old Tallinn
Submarine engines
Pikk
My husband by Tallin's towered walls
