- Address: Lai 50, 10133 Tallinn, Estonia;
- Height: 124 m;
- Discovery: 1519;
- Phone: +372 641 2241;
- Website: oleviste.ee.
The architectural dominant of the Old Town in Tallinn is the Oleviste Church, which in the Middle Ages was the tallest building and played an important role in the history of Estonia . For modern tourists it is an excellent viewing platform. Another name for the church is the church of St. Olaf, the Norwegian king, who was canonized for converting Norway to Christianity.
Oleviste Church - description
The year of construction of the building is considered to be 1267, but the interior decoration was completed in the middle of the 19th century. Alas, but the luxurious interior, like the whole church, did not survive in its original form due to a violent fire in 1820. It arose after the lightning hit the temple and led to the complete destruction of the ancient decoration. After the restoration work, the church was lower by 16 m, and the interior was much more modest.
History of creation
The Church of Oleviste was built on the site of the trading yard of Scandinavian merchants and was under the tutelage of the Cistercian Female Monastery of St. Michael. The temple depended on serving the merchants by the parish they kept. From the first mention in historical sources (1267) the church has considerably expanded.
Already in the 1420's, new choirs were built, and the longitudinal part was turned into a basilica with tetrahedral pillars. Originally the church was Catholic, but it was with him that the Reformation began. In the current state the height of the building is 123.7 m and it is one of them the main landmarks for tourists.
In the Middle Ages, according to historical data, the spire towered above the ground at 159 m, attracting lightning. Because of them, the church burned three times, but each time it was restored. The last chapel of the Virgin Mary was added in the middle of the 16th century. The church is built in such architectural style as Gothic.
Favorite tourist attraction
The Church of Oleviste ( Tallinn ) should remain the tallest building in the city by law. No other building can exceed the height of the spire. Among tourists, the temple is popular due to the viewing platform, which is located at a 60-meter height. It is with her breathtaking view of the whole city. The peculiarity is that you can view the panorama of the city all the way to 360 degrees.
Even new districts of Tallinn are visible from the site, not to mention the Old Town or the port . But having risen to the very top, you should be careful. The platform is a circular platform, which is proposed to be circled clockwise. Since the passage is rather narrow - only two people can fit it at the same time, it is recommended not to hurry and respect other visitors.
Pay for the entrance to the observation deck you need at the bottom of the ticket office, after which tourists have to overcome a long climb up the narrow spiral staircase. But those who overcome all difficulties get a reward - Tallinn is seen as in the palm of your hand. According to the belief, from the site on a fine day you can see the outlines of the capital of Finland - Helsinki.
It is from this perspective that the most unique and spectacular photos are obtained. Today's role of the Church of Oleviste is also enormous, as in previous centuries. The temple is used for its intended purpose, but also as a museum. The Church of Oleviste (Tallinn) unites eight evangelical churches. In the temple itself, the entrance is free, and to get to the service, you just need to guess the time.
But you should know that the service is conducted in Estonian. It runs twice on Sundays at 10 am and 5 pm, on Mondays at 17.30, on Thursdays at 6.30 and on Fridays at 6pm. The museum operates from Tuesday to Friday from ten in the morning to two in the afternoon. Due to good acoustics, performances of choirs and strings and brass bands are often performed here.
How to get there?
To get to the church of Oleviste, you should get to the Old Town . It can be reached by tram to the stop of Linnahall. Then you can walk to the temple within a few minutes, its tower will be immediately visible, since it is considered the highest in the city.