Town Hall Square & Tallinn Town Hall
Raekoja plats / Tallinna raekoda
The heart of the Lower Town: the Gothic Town Hall, the only one of its kind preserved in Northern Europe, stands on the south side of the square, surrounded by colourful gabled houses, pharmacies and restaurants; its winter Christmas market is famous across Europe.
Town Hall Square has been the marketplace and festival centre of Tallinn since the Middle Ages. The Town Hall on its south side was built in 1402–1404 and is the only well-preserved Gothic town hall in Northern Europe. The weathervane atop its spire, 'Old Thomas', depicts a spear-wielding guard and has become a symbol of Tallinn. From about May to September you can climb the Town Hall tower (115 narrow steps) for a view over the square, and the Council Chamber and Citizens' Hall inside the building are also open to visitors in summer. The Town Hall Pharmacy (Raeapteek) on the northeast corner of the square has been trading since 1422 and is considered one of the oldest continuously operating pharmacies in Europe. It has a small exhibition, and visitors can buy traditional herbal liqueur and almond sweets. A round stone in the middle of the square is said to let you see all five spires of the Old Town if you stand on it. In 1441 Tallinn erected here one of the earliest public Christmas trees in the world (Riga disputes this claim), and the Christmas market held here each winter is often rated the best in Europe. Nearby medieval-themed restaurants such as Olde Hansa have staff in period costume and candlelit rooms, where you can try Hanseatic-era dishes.
Opening hours
Square open all day; town hall tower open approx. May–Sep (check official website)
Nearby sights
- Church of the Holy Spirit
- Great Guild Hall (Estonian History Museum)
- St. Nicholas' Church (Niguliste Museum)
- Kohtuotsa & Patkuli Viewing Platforms
- St. Catherine's Passage
- Tallinn City Walls
- Kiek in de Kök & Bastion Passages
- St. Olaf's Church