Legends of old Tallinn

Probably many of us love to travel. It's fun to get into some well-preserved medieval city, walk along its ancient streets and listen to stories from a guide about its history, legends and beliefs. Stories in which mysticism is present in places are especially fascinating. So I decided to bring a little fear and humor to you, and start a short series about the mysterious, but my native city of Tallinn. Namely, I will tell you a few urban legends, horror stories and tales.

How was Tallinn founded?

The legend says:
About a thousand years ago there lived a king in Denmark, whose son and daughter were inflamed with forbidden love for each other. The king, having learned about this, decided to expel his daughter from his country, since he considered her the main culprit. He came up with a cruel punishment - he ordered to put the princess on a ship without a rudder, and send this ship to the open sea so that his daughter would never return home.

One of the Danish kings of that time, Sven Forkbeard

The ship wandered on the waves for a long time until a storm washed it up on the northern coast of Estonia. The princess ordered the anchor to be dropped and went in a boat to the shore. After some time, she noticed a hill on the coast - the grave of old Kalev (note the hero of the Finno-Ugric epic Kalevala). The princess liked this place so much that she wished to build a city here. The exile brought with her from her native country a lot of gold and silver, and this good was transferred from the ship to her tent on the hill. The princess called the people together and ordered for gold and silver to build her first luxury castle and the city around it. Those who showed courage and zeal, she favored at home. So, over time, many people gathered around the castle, and the city grew noticeably, became beautiful and rich, and people in it lived calmly and happily.
Soon news reached the King of Denmark about beautiful city founded by his daughter. And he had an irresistible desire to subjugate this city. Having conquered his pride, the king went to bow to his daughter. The princess, unaware of her father's insidious plans, forgave him and arranged a magnificent meeting.
However, the inhabitants quickly realized what was on the minds of strangers. They immediately drove them away and remained masters in their city. The people began to call it Tanlin, the Danish city, from which the current name Tallinn (Tallinn) eventually came about.
Comment: From the legend it follows that Tallinn was founded by the Danes, but already in the 1st millennium AD. e. Tallinn was a well-known harbor and place of trade, being the center of the ancient Estonian land of Reval.
In the form of Rifarrik, the city is mentioned in an Irish manuscript around 750, the court geographer of the Sicilian king Roger II, the Arab al-Idrisi, names it in the comments on the world map he compiled in 1154. The Danes conquered the city in 1219, under King Valdemar II.

Linda stone. The legend about the origin of Lake Ülemiste.

The poor widow mourned her beloved husband Kalev for many months, giving vent to complaints and bitter tears. And she began to bring stones to his grave in order to erect a worthy monument to Kalev and preserve his memory for posterity. In Tallinn, you can still see this tombstone of Kalev - Toompea Hill. Beneath him the king of the ancient Estonians sleeps eternal sleep, on one side of the hill they make noise sea ​​waves, on the other hand, native forests rustle.

Sculpture of Linda.

One day Linda was carrying a large boulder to the grave. She hurried up the hill of Lasnamägi, carrying on her back in a sling woven from her hair, a whole rock.
Then the widow stumbled, and a heavy stone rolled from her shoulders. Linda could not lift this rock - from grief, the poor thing dried up, lost its former strength of hands. The woman sat down on a stone and wept bitter tears, complaining about her widow's lot.
The good wind fairy gently stroked the silk of her hair and dried her tears, but they kept flowing and flowing from Linda's eyes, like streams on a mountain slope, gathering into a lake. This lake grew larger and larger until it turned into a lake. It is still located in Tallinn on the Lasnamägi hill and is called Ülemiste (Upper). There you can also see the stone on which the weeping Linda sat.
And if you, a traveler, happen to walk past Lake Ülemiste, stop and remember the glorious Kalev and his inconsolable Linda.

Lake Ülemiste. In the middle of the lake, you can just see the same ill-fated stone. The airport is right across the lake.

Comment: Prose retelling by J. Kunder (1852-1888) from the song of the second epic Kalevipoeg.

Servants of Van, the Baron of Vigala.

Once upon a time, a baron lived in the estate of Vana Vigala, in whose service there were many spirits.

Vana-Vigala homestead

Once he went to Tallinn across Lake Ülemiste. The baron strictly forbade the coachman to look back while driving on water.
The carriage raced like a mirror. When she approached the shore, where it was shallow, the coachman nevertheless looked back. To his great amazement, he saw that the spirits were fussing around the carriage: they carried boards from behind the wheels of the carriage and placed them in front of it - so they built a bridge along which the carriage rode.
As soon as the coachman looked back, the carriage with the team of horses fell into the water. But since the coast was very close, the horses pulled the carriage onto land and no one drowned.
The baron says to the coachman: “If you looked back in the middle of the lake, we would drown. Spirits stop working if at least one of the people sees them. Don't you dare disobey my orders again!"

Why Tallinn will never be completed.

Once a year, on a dark autumn midnight, a gray-haired old man, Järvevana, emerges from Lake Ülemiste; descends from the hill to the city gates and asks the guards:
— Well, is the city ready, or is it still under construction?
AT big cities There is always enough work for builders: if new buildings are not being built, then there is a lot of trouble with old houses. Here and there it is necessary to correct, touch up or rebuild, the work goes on continuously, and there is not a day when all the masters rest at the same time. But if a short break suddenly happens, then you can’t say half a word about this lake old man. The guard at the city gates is ordered to answer, it is always the same for him:
The city is far from ready. It will be many years before all the work is completed.
Then the wonderful old man angrily shakes his head, mutters something unintelligible, turns sharply and goes back into the lake - his eternal home.
But if the lake old man is told that the city is ready and there is nothing more to build there, the waters of Ülemiste will rush from the Lasnamägi hill to the coastal lowland and flood Tallinn.

The unfinished city of Tallinn

Comment: The legend was retold by F. R. Kreutzwald in 1866 in his Old Estonian folk tales". This motif is also found in "pure" folklore (see Kalev's Servant in this edition). Lake Ülemiste is located high above the Lower Town and was flooded more than once (in 1718, 1761, 1867).

The Adventures of the Mummy Duke.

In the first half of the nineteenth century in the church of St. Nicholas (Niguliste) an amazing exhibit was exhibited. In one of the chapels, on a hearse, stood a coffin with a glass lid, and in it was a mummy dressed in a black velvet camisole with snow-white lace, legs covered with silk stockings, and a curled wig on her head.

Duke mummy.

The church watchman, who received considerable income for showing the mummy, touchingly took care of its safety. When the mummy began to be overcome by mice, he brought a cat in the church. Once, on a rainy and gloomy autumn evening, the organist was playing chorales when suddenly he heard shuffling footsteps. From the darkness, in the light of a swinging lantern, a mummy appeared. The horrified organist noticed, however, that the mummy was not moving by itself, but was being carried. It turns out that the roof in the chapel leaked, the mummy got wet, and the ingenuous watchman decided to dry it by the stove.
Whose mummy was this? Duke Carl Eugene de Croix was born in the Netherlands and had royal blood in his veins. He served first in the Danish army, then in the Austrian troops, and then in Poland. When the Northern War began, de Croix joined the Russian army. Peter I promoted him to field marshal general and appointed him commander-in-chief of the Russian troops near Narva. Having lost the battle, the duke was taken prisoner and brought to Tallinn by the Swedes. Here he was released on parole. De Croix quickly got used to Tallinn, made an extensive circle of acquaintances among the local nobility and wealthy merchants. Not only did the doors open before him, but also the wallets of the Tallinners, and the duke was a true master of living in debt. He drank a lot, played dice, his debts grew and grew. Everything was going great.
And suddenly - like a bolt from the blue - the news: the duke ordered to live long. Disappointed creditors gathered for a meeting. Someone remembered that according to the Lübeck law of the Hanseatic cities, Tallinners can forbid the debtor's funeral until they receive their money in full. The meeting decided not to give the body of the dead duke to the city authorities - the only guarantee of his large debts. The authorities, on the other hand, showed unexpected compliance, apparently fearing the large expenses for the funeral, befitting the title of duke. Having agreed with them, the lenders put their “deposit” in the coffin and took it to the basement of the church of St. Nicholas for storage. It was in 1702.
The duke's mummy was found. . . in a hundred and twenty years, and even then by chance. The people believed that the body of the duke was preserved thanks to strong drinks, which the deceased greatly appreciated. Pundits explained mummification by the fact that the mortar that held the foundation masonry contained rock salt.
So the mummy of the Duke de Croix turned into a landmark of the Niguliste church, competing with the famous altar painting "Dance of Death" by Bernt Notke. In the middle of the last century, the authorities ordered to stop showing the noble effigy, but they buried him only in 1897. Thus ended the adventures of the duke's mummy, two hundred years after his death.

How the owner of the Palmse estate saved Tallinn from trouble.

Once Tallinn, which was called the virgin, because no one had yet managed to capture it, was besieged by an enemy army for a whole summer. And although the fortress walls and towers reliably protected the people of Tallinn, the hunger became more and more fierce day by day, and the hearts of the townspeople were seized by despair and cowardice.
The savior of the city in this difficult hour was Baron Pahlen, the owner of the Palmse estate. He pretended to want to send provisions to the hungry townspeople. When carts with food and beer barrels approached the enemy camp on Lasnamägi, they were immediately captured by the enemy. Hunger exhausted the besieging soldiers no less than the Tallinners, so they pounced on provisions like wolves, forgetting about the siege. Master Palmse took advantage of this short respite to save the city. He ordered a fattened bull and some malt to be delivered by sea to the walls of the city, and handed them over to the townspeople.

Manor Palmse.

The townspeople brewed fresh beer and carried it to the front earthen ramparts. On the bottoms of overturned barrels they poured beer so that the foam would flow over the rim. Then they released a bull on the ramparts, which ran out, blasting the ground with its horns.
When the enemies saw barrels of foaming beer and a fattened bull, their soul went to their heels. “Damn it all,” said the soldiers, “you won’t starve out the one who can still brew so much beer and walk fat bulls on the ramparts. We'd rather die of hunger ourselves."
The next morning, the townspeople saw that the enemy was leaving home. Tallinn was saved again.

A descendant of the savvy Baron Matvey Ivanovich Palen (1779-1863), a cavalry general.

Comment: The legend retold by F. R. Kreutzwald in the Old Estonian Folk Tales probably refers to the events of the Livonian War (1558-1583). It was in the 16th century that the construction of earthen fortifications began behind the city stone wall.

Pontus, a tanned leather merchant.

Pontus Delagardie

Long ago, on moonlit nights in Lasnamägi, people saw a rider in iron armor on a white horse. He offered passers-by to buy tanned leather. But there were no people who wanted to buy the goods - the disgusting smell of leather scared away the buyers.
Once the rider met an old man with a goatee and asked:
“What price do you ask for your tanned skin, brother?”
The rider answered him:
“I just want to sleep peacefully in the damp earth.
The old man asked the knight to tell him who makes him wander at night and does not allow him to fall asleep forever. This is what the rider told him:
- I was once a famous commander, and they called me Pontus. I ordered the dead soldiers to be skinned, gave it to the tanner, and then ordered from this skin boots, caftan and trousers, a saddle, belts and bridles. Everything I'm wearing right now is made from human skin. After my death, a lot of tanned skin remained. When I arrived in the next world and wanted to enter the gate, the guard detained me: “It was ordered to let you in only after you sell all the remaining skin. You will come out of the grave at night and drive along the roads to Lasnamägi from midnight until the first roosters, until you find a buyer.” So for two generations I have been offering tanned leather, but there are still no buyers.
“I will not disdain your goods,” said the old man. - If you only ask to be freed from night vigils, then the price suits me, it's on the hands. Get off your horse and follow me.
Pontus was delighted with the buyer, took his skins and followed the old man. The same one led him straight to hell. At the underground gates, the old man took on his true form - turned into a devil with horns and a tail, and shouted in a terrible voice:
“Come on, come out, all those skinned by Pontus!”
Then a host of his victims stepped forward, wanting to reclaim their skin and cover their naked, bleeding flesh. The devil, baring his teeth, taught them:
- Remove the skin from it and stretch it until there is enough for everyone to cover the bones.

A. Durer. Horseman, death and hell. 1513. Carving engraving

Comment: The legend is contained in the "Old Estonian Folk Tales" by F. R. Kreutzwald, based on which the ballad of the poetess M. Under (1883-1980) "Pontus the leather merchant" was written. The trader is probably the Swedish commander Pontus Delagardie (1520-1585). His tombstone in the altar of the Dome Cathedral is a masterpiece of Renaissance art. The Swedes, having captured Narva under the command of Delagardie on September 6, 1581, staged a massacre there, in which about 7 thousand people died.

About Tallinn's Don Juan.

Everyone who visits the Dome Cathedral involuntarily tramples on the grave of a sinner, about whom many stories are told. Entering the cathedral through the main portal and getting into the southern nave of the temple, the visitor finds himself on a large slab, along the edges of which is carved: “OTTO JOHANN THOUVE landowner Edize, Väena and Koonu is his grave. In the year 1696″.

The Dome Cathedral

Tradition says that Tuva, who is buried under the slab, was an Estonian by origin, because his surname means “dove” in translation. For his merits, he was granted the nobility. He was an extremely cheerful and light-tempered man, he liked to eat a lot and tasty, to drink hard, and most importantly, he was known as a ladies' man and a great conqueror of hearts.
Before his death, he repented of his sins and bequeathed to bury himself at the entrance to the Dome Cathedral. Tove hoped for forgiveness if he showed humility and humility, and the parishioners would trample his ashes.
Indeed, five centuries ago, the Tuve clan settled in Edize Castle in northern Estonia. They also owned the neighboring estate of Jõhvi, where a church was erected at the end of the fifteenth century. On the bell tower of the church there is the coat of arms of the Tuve family. The character of men of this kind is told by the legend about the church in Jõhvi, which is very similar to the legend about Don Juan in Tallinn:
There once lived two brothers. The elder brother went to war, and the younger one had to build a fortified castle. The older brother returned from the war, a quarrel broke out between the brothers, and in a duel the younger was killed. The older brother was seized with sadness and deep regret about what had happened, he ordered, in atonement for his sins, to build a church on the site of the duel and bury himself in front of the entrance, so that all believers would trample on his sinful ashes.

TALLINN, August 8 - Sputnik, Svetlana Burtseva. There are many legends and fairy tales about Tallinn, many of which are already known and even formed the basis of exciting books, plays and films. However, there is always something unknown and intriguing.

For such new stories, Sputnik Estonia went to visit the "city sorceress" Travnitsa. And to tell the truth, a cool summer evening, abundantly spiced with a long thunderstorm, made up an impressive, if not very convenient, scenery for a tour of the places of unknown legends of Old Tallinn.

Good luck

Armed with jackets, hoods and umbrellas, lovers of antiquity and "terrible" stories gathered at the City Hall. A group of daredevils, eager to learn something new and mysterious, which is still hidden in the streets of their beloved city, turned out to be not small - a dozen or three people came to listen to the Herbalist.

She, in an embroidered dress and a colorful sheepskin coat tied with a tight belt, greeted the adventure lovers with a calm look. Her head was covered with a long black ennen, adorned with a black openwork veil. The length of this medieval dress transparently hinted at the rather complicated pedigree of the "city healer".

And the townspeople, and "overseas merchants", but simply locals and the tourists who visited the capital of Estonia, "having fallen under the witching spell" of Travnitsa, immediately plunged into a bright, emotional, fascinating tale about our city.

Free City, or Learn Languages

The journey began at the walls of the City Hall. And one of the first stories was a story about a young pagan, his indecent behavior within the walls of the Church of the Holy Spirit and ignorance German language, where worship services were held in those ancient times. All this led the ignoramus to severe punishment - three days and three nights, without sleep, water and even a toilet, chained to a shameful place, he had to make inhuman sounds ... "Conclusion - you need to learn languages!" - not jokingly, not seriously winked Herbalist.

And at the same time, despite the fact that in the good city of Tallinn the young man had to answer so hard for his misdeed, it was here that he was able to find freedom. After all, Tallinn gave shelter to serfs and made them its free citizens.

The freedom of serf servants who fled from cruel masters began in the city basement, where, having just placed a finger under a special record instead of a personal signature, the fugitive gained the opportunity in a year and one day to look at his now former master without fear.

Ghost of Magnus Revelsky

Following the Town Hall Square past the oldest pharmacy in the city, Travnitsa led her breathless listeners to the oldest residential building all along the coast. Here a long time ago, in the XIV century, the prior of the Dominican monastery lived. Moreover, it turns out that the word "android" was already known in those days, and in the oldest house on the entire coast Gulf of Finland took on a physical form. The veil over the secrets of the house with a ghost opened just eight years ago, when a cache of strange dolls was discovered.

The herbalist said that if you come to the house after midnight, stand in a certain place and look through the stained glass window, you can see a ghost with a candle in his hands. Undoubtedly, the ghost of Magnus of Reval, as he is called, knows a lot about the life of a strange prior, who was (certainly outside the monastery) not at all alien to magic and completely non-church knowledge and skills.

And walled up and executed

The herbalist said that the walls of one of the towers around the Old City, erected at the beginning of the 14th century, preserved the story of a girl immured in the tower. It turns out that the difficulties of building the tower and the intrigues of the dark forces forced the builders to use the oldest method of immuring a living person.

© Sputnik / Svetlana Burtseva

In general, according to Travnitsa, in the Middle Ages throughout Europe they believed that it was enough to wall up a living person’s house in the walls in order to successfully complete the construction. The soul of the unfortunate person helped in construction matters and subsequently protected the building itself.

For the sake of truth, it is worth mentioning that in the good old days they could wall up not only for the purpose of construction and the preservation of the building. According to one of the legends of the Fat Margarita tower, the cook Margarita was buried alive in its walls, preparing food for the soldiers so disgustingly that the evil and hungry warriors who guarded the city punished this lady in such a way. And since the negligent cook was also ugly fat, the tower subsequently received its unusual name.

The impressed tourist involuntarily exclaimed: "I thought Tallinn was kind, beautiful city, lovers walk through the streets. And here they were either executed or walled up here! ”But what to do? The Middle Ages, that says a lot.

In general, not everything is so scary in our city. And among the unknown legends, there was a story about true great love associated with beautiful house on Lai Street - this is "the house where happiness settled," as the "city sorceress" said.

Ghosts are different

There is a museum in Tallinn, whose employees remember the stories of the recent past, namely the times Soviet Union, about a policeman frightened by ghosts, about a ghost helping to lay out the exhibition display. Not scared yet? And what about the ghost of the Mathisen printing house on Vienna Street, or a silver snuffbox that fell out of a painting?

Do you know that the employees of the Swedish Embassy also encountered a legend about ghosts in their building? To pacify these restless neighbors, it was necessary to study the history of the building, and only relatively recently was it possible to cope with strange phenomena. And real ghost catchers come to Tallinn from time to time. Moreover, these narrow specialists bring with them special equipment for catching "not quite people."

Get yourself a helper

However, according to Herbalist, some "not quite people" are useful not to be afraid, but to tame. The participants of the tour learned that it is very good to have your own brownie. The herbalist said that brownies are surprisingly useful creatures that you should make friends with so that they help in the fulfillment of the simplest and quite earthly desires. Want a new iPhone? You are welcome. Or maybe you liked an expensive piece of jewelry? And it's real. Ask your brownie for help.

But it's not that simple. According to Herbalist, the brownie is not a stupid creature. At the first call, he will not appear and will not rush into the arms. But you can find a way to it. As Travnitsa assured, brownies from time immemorial have always helped their household owners, and our ancestors knew how to perfectly negotiate with them about their well-being and protection.

And yet, the Herbalist finally said that at night and on dark evenings she prefers not to walk along the alleys of the Old City, so as not to disturb its secret inhabitants. "There are many ghosts in the city, so my dears, be careful at night," Herbalist warned.

For the courage shown in the journey through the old mysterious streets of Tallinn, Herbalist allowed willing participants of the tour to stroke the silver frog that adorned the healer's clothes and tickle the gray mice that stuck around the healer's linen sack. This ritual is intended to give wealth and health.

The curtain

The guide Natalia Praunina, who perfectly played the role of the “city sorceress”, told Sputnik Estonia that the tour “Unknown Legends of the Old Town” started in December 2016 and is a success among both the residents of Tallinn and its guests. Of course, such an emotional journey has an age limit, namely, it is designed for people at least 12 years old. For kids, the organizers of excursions select other information about our city, dressing stories in a colorful, vivid presentation.

According to Natalia, in winter, when it gets dark early, you have to take a flashlight with you for such a walk around the Old Town. And it must be admitted that if during the daytime the participants of the excursion boldly step into the gateways and old courtyards, exchanging impressions along the way, asking questions, expressing the emotions experienced, then in the dark "the people no longer laugh, but walk silently, as if not breathing" .

How many still undiscovered mysteries and unknown twists of history are kept by the walls of Old Tallinn...

Tallinn Legends - an amusing trip into the past

Tallinn, with its long and fascinating history, is known for many fascinating legends. Ancient stories came from the distant times of the Middle Ages to our days, carrying both human greatness and diabolical baseness. However, for the first time, both citizens and guests of the city themselves will have the opportunity to get into the Middle Ages, feel the breath of time, experience the joys and sorrows of people of those immemorial years, feel love and hate, as medieval citizens felt.

Tallinn Legends unite urban history, left behind the shadow of centuries, the lively skill of actors and special effects created with the latest technology - all this creates a true illusion of time travel and everyone who enters the gaming reality of Tallinn Legends will find themselves among fascinating events, forgetting about everything else and becoming part of the revived stories.

Tallinn Legends is an adventure that cannot be put into words. The feeling that arises when racing into the past in a time machine must be felt for yourself. Only in magical world Tallinn Legends can be climbed high tower the newly built Olevista Church, walk through the streets ravaged by the plague, go down into the deep cellars of the court of the Inquisition, listen to the amazing song coming from the mermaid well, together with the girl immured in the Maiden's Tower, cry about the frailty of the elusive young life, attend the execution of the arrogant Baron Johann von Uexküll, discover the voluptuous taste of marzipan in the workshop of a gloomy alchemist, and sing a daring battle song together with hired soldiers. Traveling in time is made special by the fact that Mr. Satan himself will personally accompany the guests to the gloomy secrets of ancient Tallinn as a guide. The presence of such a high and powerful face guarantees an unforgettable experience.

LOCATION

Tallinn Legends is located right in the heart of the old town, next to the oldest town hall Europe, at Kullasepa 7.

LEGENDS

The construction of Olevista and the curse placed on the church

At one time, the Church of Oleviste was the tallest building in Europe. This amazing, ascending to the sky God's temple began to build in 1267 and the construction lasted for a hundred years.

It seemed to contemporaries that it was the Impure Himself who interfered with the work. The builder, who placed his hopes on the church and installed the cornerstone, fell from the high scaffolding and fell to his death. Things were no better for the next six masters, who tied their fate with the construction majestic building. Only the eighth construction master, whose name was Olev, was able to complete the work. But his life was also short-lived. Decorating the church tower with a wreath on the occasion of the completion of construction, Olev heard someone calling to him from below, bent down to look, but fell and crashed, like his predecessors.

On June 29, 1625, lightning struck the church tower and the gigantic building caught fire. After that, lightning bolts hit the House of the Lord thirteen more times.

You will visit the Olevista Tower, cast a glance at the city from there and, together with lightning bolts, go down, falling into the deep Middle Ages.

The terrible secret of the Maiden Tower

AT medieval Europe there was an unshakable idea that if a living girl is walled up in a fortress tower or a castle wall, the building will stand unshakable until the end of time. Tallinn was no exception in this regard. When, in 1360, the fortress wall of Tallinn began to be supplemented with a new quadrangular watchtower, in order to strengthen it, they decided to immure the immaculate girl in the wall of the first floor of the tower. The unfortunate maiden had to give the tower unprecedented strength at the cost of her life.

The lot fell on the beautiful Grete, who, despite all the efforts of her parents to save her daughter, was secretly taken away from the house and immured in a small stone niche. For a few more nights, those passing by the tower heard a quiet cry, but then it stopped, and the people's rumor began to call the new watchtower the Maiden's Tower. The tower really survived all the wars and trials that befell the city and to this day adorns the skyline of Tallinn.

You sympathize with the doubts and fear of death of a young girl and follow the fragile figure of the beauty with your eyes until the cold stones swallow her up.

Plague

Like most cities, Tallinn was repeatedly visited by a terrible plague epidemic that killed thousands of people. A terrible disease was considered a punishment of the Lord, help from which they sought in fasting and prayers, locking their houses and running away from the city, cleaning the premises with juniper smoke and washing themselves with herbal infusions, but nothing helped - the Black Death moved from house to house, from street to street its terrible way, leaving not a single castle, not a single hut untouched. Death has made people equal. But at the same time, when the streets were filled with corpses, between which doctors dressed in strange costumes curing the plague were maneuvering, in one of the houses libertines and drunkards gathered, who spent their days in obscenities and copious libations, but the plague did not touch them. Obviously, these playboys were too sinful even for death itself.

The artist Berndt Notke commemorated the monstrous plague of the 14th century in a painting he called "The Dance of Death". This famous painting is located in the Niguliste church in Tallinn and reminds of the times when half of the city's inhabitants died out, from infants to noblemen.

You see the plague-ravaged streets, the carts of refugees leaving the city. And suddenly Death itself appears, which pulls you into a deadly dance, at the end of which nothingness gapes.

Retribution

Medieval people were afraid of retribution, which awaited all sinners. The unfortunate fell into hellfire, but you could get there already on earth if the zealous servants of God believed that you had violated church canons.

The coat of arms of the Dominicans depicts a dog carrying a torch. The monks considered themselves the dogs of the Lord, whose task was to light the way for the righteous and subject the sinners to suffering. It was not difficult to fall into disgrace with the holy fathers - as soon as some neighbor sent a denunciation to the monastery - and the apostate was seized to be presented before the harsh court of the holy fathers. For those who at least once appeared before the church court, the path of salvation was cut off. Witches burned at the stake, the brides of Satan were drowned in ice holes in winter, the townspeople who colluded with unclean forces disappeared at midnight and never returned home.

You will pass through the high monastery gates and appear before the holy judicial review, where the all-seeing eye will weigh your sins. Fortunately, there is an opportunity to escape from this scary place, and you will do it, hearing the menacing barking of dogs and the ringing of prison shackles behind you. This time you will come out unscathed - what luck!

Alchemist

When death is raging around and life is not worth a penny, there is a desire to find a formula for immortality. In 1420, when the population of Europe was halved as a result of wars and plagues and the future seemed bleak, hundreds of alchemists began searching for a formula for immortality. give to the townspeople eternal life. The whole night, he fiddled with strange experiments, and from time to time flames were seen from the window and clouds of smoke fell from the chimney, but in the morning the alchemist disappeared. A recipe was found on the table, and according to it, the city pharmacist made an unprecedentedly tasty substance, which they began to sell as a means of stimulating male abilities. The substance was called marzipan and indeed - many children began to be born in Tallinn and the townspeople inherited eternal life.

Superstitious people still claim that in the room where the alchemist compiled his incredibly useful recipe, Satan himself celebrated the wedding. The Lord of Evil allegedly left a recipe in order to lure people to the path of sin. Well, everyone looks at the world from his own bell tower.

You will be present together with the alchemist during dangerous experiments, as a result of which marzipan will be born. If you are lucky, the miraculous power of marzipan will also touch you, and your family life will become unprecedentedly unanimous and fruitful. This is a bonus that you will receive by visiting Tallinn Legends.

Mermaid

To this day, on Rataskaevu Street, you can see the old well, which is associated with a legend about a beautiful girl found on the seashore. The girl was brought to the city, dressed up like a princess and decided to marry a rich young man, but on the first evening she disappeared from the house. Unearthly singing sounded over the city all night, and in the morning, when they went to see what had happened, the girl was found in the well. The water called her to itself. And the next night the same thing happened, only now the singing came from the city towards the sea and called at dawn into the abyss of waves. For the one who gave himself to the waters will never get rid of longing for the quiet depths of the sea.

The girl was never seen again in the city. But in the hearts of those who heard her singing, there remained an incomprehensible thirst for love, which all Tallinners inherited. And today, with love, they come to the seashore to admire the moonlight, and lonely souls, overcoming the sea winds, find comfort and hope on the shore that a meeting with their beloved is not far off. However, there are those who, having gone ashore, never come back, as happened with the beautiful mermaid.

You will hear a delightful unforgettable song and feel the intoxicating call of the waters. You will have a magical story about longing and love, and you will immediately understand that, despite the harsh times, wars and illnesses, there were such moments in the Middle Ages when people felt truly happy.

Execution of Johann von Uexküll

The time of the Middle Ages was ending, and the value of human life began to increase. The establishment of the Lübeck city law significantly increased the self-consciousness of the inhabitants of Tallinn. Free artisans and merchants lived here, and a peasant who managed to hide in the city for one year and one day was freed from the serfdom. The city grew and became stronger. The knighthood was no longer subordinate to the supreme authority, but was independent.

Baron from Riisipere Johann von Uexküll, who secretly made his way to Tallinn in 1535 together with a detachment of thugs, found his fugitive peasant here, took him away by force and killed him. The townspeople, outraged by the arbitrariness, demanded justice from the town hall, then the city authorities arrested the baron and sentenced to death for murder.

On May 7, when they wanted to carry out the court sentence on a country hill with a gallows, the baron's henchmen arrived at the scene with the intention of freeing their master. In order to prevent a bloody confrontation, Uexkull was executed between the lowered city gates. The executioner cut off the head of a nobleman, and thus the law prevailed over prejudices, and the time of the Middle Ages in Tallinn ended.

You will see a proud baron mocking city law and how an arrogant man will be broken in the face of death. Together with the inhabitants of ancient Tallinn, you will celebrate the victory of justice and live through the moment when the criminal's head is put on a stake.

The journey will take place through 9 centuries, from the very beginning of the Middle Ages, ending with the first trial, as a result of which Baron von Uexküll was executed. What marks the end of the Middle Ages in Estonia. These 9 legends that we have selected in Tallinn Legends are associated with such real places as, for example, the churches of Oleviste and Niguliste. Also the Marzipan House and the Witch's Well. We will also talk about Pontus Delagardi, who was the governor of Estonia in the Middle Ages and won the 7-year northern war.

Performance duration - 40 minutes

The performance can be in one of four languages ​​- Russian, Estonian, English or Finnish.

The number of people in a group is up to 15 people.

Patency - a new group every 15 minutes.

Opening hours - daily, from 11:00 to 19:00 (last group at 21:00)

Age restrictions - children under 10 years old are not recommended.

Ticket price - 15 euros / adult, 10 euros / child, 35 euros / family (2 adults and 1 child under 16)

Tallinn is a city with thousand years of history, surrounded by many mystical stories and legends. Although the stories that have been passed down through the centuries by word of mouth contain only a grain of truth, they invariably arouse interest and help to recreate old times and customs in the imagination. Wait until dark and go for a walk through the streets of medieval Tallinn. I will tell you about the most mysterious places Old Town and tell about the tragic love story of Barbara von Tiesenhausen, whose image still appears in their family mansion in Vyshgorod.

Mysterious places in the Old City

Arriving in Tallinn for the first time, many people notice that time is behind the walls medieval city as if stopped and even the air is permeated with history. Viewing platforms offer magnificent views of the spiers of cathedrals and the Town Hall, on the tiled roofs of houses with chimneys.

The 124-meter spire of the tower of the Church of St. Olaf (Oleviste) pierces the low leaden sky above the city. A well-known legend is associated with the construction of this cathedral, explaining why the cross on the spire of the Oleviste church was installed crookedly.

There is something to tell about the towers of the fortress wall. It is said that the Maiden's Tower is so inhabited by ghosts that the prisoners (girls of easy virtue) once kept in it begged to be transferred to another place. Take a closer look at the weather vane Old Toomas, the symbol and faithful guardian of the city also keeps its own history.

Let's go down and reach Rataskaevu street. There is a beautiful well on it, captured in many films. The "Cat's Well" is closed and has not been used since the 19th century, according to legend, a mermaid lived in it, which spoiled the water. To appease her, the townspeople sacrificed cats. As you might guess, the water in the well did not get any better from this, and even more so, the energy of this place did not improve.

On the outskirts of the Lower City, you can see the house where the city's executioner, who had an unusual romantic privilege, lived in the Middle Ages. AT Upper city ghosts also have something to tell about themselves. One of the mansions has gained notoriety, in which the image of a young woman appears, scaring men half to death. Ask your guide and he will tell you about the chilling story of the commander Pontus de la Gardie, a leather merchant.

The legend of Barbara von Tiesenhausen

I will tell you not so famous, but based on real facts the story of the noblewoman Barbara von Tiesenhausen. The events took place outside of Tallinn, in Porkuni Castle, in Tallinn, a mansion that belonged to the Tizenhausen family has been preserved.

This happened in the 16th century, the legend testifies to how great were the barriers between the estates in ancient times. Barbara was the younger sister of the Tisenhausen, a wealthy, large family. The girl grew up modest and beautiful, taught poor children to read and write, and was very different from her brothers Jurgen, Reinhold and Bartholomeus, who boasted of their rank and pedigree.

Somehow, a new guest appeared in the house of the Tisenhausen barons - the writer Franz Bonnius. The young man attracted Barbara's attention with his kindness, generosity and spontaneity. Barbara and Franz began to spend a lot of time together and soon realized that they were in love with each other. They did not manage to hide their feelings for long.

Upon learning of the love of Barbara and the rootless Franz, the brothers were angry, because such a union was considered a misalliance. The laws of that time said that if a girl of high birth married a man of a lower position, then she and her loved ones would be condemned and lose their status and wealth.

Barbara and Franz decide to run away, but they did not manage to get far from the brothers who rushed after them. At that moment, when Franz went to change horses, the pursuers overtook Barbara. The girl decided to save her beloved and said that the groom left her and ran away. Barbara was returned home. Since she did not renounce her love for Franz, the brothers decided to punish their sister severely. According to the verdict of the family court, 20-year-old Barbara was drowned in the icy water of Lake Porkuni. Since then, the spirit of the poor girl appears in the mansion belonging to the Tizenhausen family in Vyshgorod and is looking for her beloved.

In 1969, this legend inspired the Estonian composer Eduard Tubin and writer Jaan Kross to create the opera Barbara von Tiesenhausen of the same name.

I invite you on a tour. Wandering the streets of the Old City, you will learn its history and secrets and decide for yourself what is true and what is fiction.

The Town Hall Square served as a market where the whole life of the medieval city of Reval was in full swing (as Tallinn was called until 1919). Presumably, the name Revel means "fox land".
Another ancient name of the city is Kolyvan (City of Kalev - the mythical progenitor hero). The first mention of this city is found in 1154.

Market square of old Tallinn a
On the Town Hall Square, city holidays and the execution of criminals were held.
They were punished with rods or tied to a pillory. Foul language and gossip were also considered punishable crimes in Revel.

City government(council of the magistrate) was located in the building of the City Hall.
Only wealthy merchants could become members of the magistrate. In the 15th century, the council consisted of 14 ratmans and 4 burgomasters. Each ratman assumed certain managerial responsibilities.
The mention of the town hall of the city of Reval is found in the 14th century. The building was rebuilt in the 15th century. In 2004, the Town Hall celebrated its 600th anniversary.

City Hall building today

City Hall in the 19th century

It could look like a ratman of the city of Revel
Rice. Sittov Mikhel, Reval artist

Death penalty legends
The death penalty is mentioned only twice in the legends of the city of Reval.

The legend of the pastor-murderer. In the Middle Ages, pastor Panike came to the city tavern and ordered himself an omelet, which turned out to be burnt. The pastor was indignant and ordered to make a new dish. They brought him another omelette, which was even worse. For the third time, the pastor was replaced with an omelet, which again turned out to be inedible.
The pastor began to swear, and the innkeeper “For every word he says, he throws a heel in response.”

There are many cozy cafes on the square, the service of which is not yet complained about.

But the impudent maid soon paid the price for poor-quality service.
“The pastor became furious, he reached a white heat. And when he came to himself, he realized that he was standing in the middle of the kitchen with an ax in his hands, and the maid with a broken skull was lying on the floor. The pastor threw an ax and went to the Town Hall. “Punish, he says, me. I killed a man in the middle of Sunday… Well, the poor man was executed on the Town Hall Square.”
Judging by the legend, the catering service of the Middle Ages was very similar to the Soviet one.

At the Town Hall you can meet people in national costumes
Folklore concerts are held on the square

Tourists and artists rest on the steps of the Town Hall

Another story of the death penalty is told in the legend of the "talkative ratman".
According to the law of the city of Revel, ratmans did not have the right to talk about the discussions that were held at the council of the magistrate.
The wife of one of the ratmans turned out to be very curious. She wanted to know what they were talking about in the Town Hall. No excuse could appease her curiosity. Once the ratman could not stand it and gave his wife a secret.
The next morning, the wife met a neighbor and blurted everything out to her, soon the whole city learned about the secret discussion of the magistrate.

As punishment, the ratman was forced to run on all fours around the Town Hall. The talkative wife was told to take a stick and climb on her husband's back. After the ratman with his wife on his back ran around the Town Hall, he was cut off his head.
It is said that the ghosts of the executed appear at night in the square.

Tallinn musicians

City Hall building
Each floor of the Town Hall had its own purpose.

In the cellar - the "cellar hall" wine was stored, the sale of which was carried out under the control of the magistrate.
The first floor of the town hall (Trading Hall) was used as a warehouse for valuable goods.
On the second floor were the Burgher's Hall and the Magistrate's Hall.
Receptions for distinguished guests of the city and holidays were held in the Burgher Hall.

View of the Town Hall

City decisions were made in the Magistrate's Hall.
Above the entrance to the Magistrate's Hall there is an inscription:
“From the summer of the Lord 1651. Ratman, whoever you are, entering this house to fulfill your duty, leave all personal worries behind the threshold: anger, resentment, enmity, friendship, flattery; dedicate yourself and your cares to society, for what you are to others - just or unjust, so you will appear before the Lord's court.

The Russian cafe "Troika" is located on the square

Town Hall Pharmacy
On the corner of the Town Hall Square there is a pharmacy, the mention of which dates back to the 14th century.
Medieval pharmacists had their own formulas for medicines.
Ground dog poop was sold for stomach pain. To make their hair silky and soft, ladies bought ground dried hedgehogs.

Ancient pharmacy

The best medicine was a remedy for unrequited love - sweet marzipan. This sweet got its name from the name of its creator, whose name was Mart.
Apothecaries also performed the duties of city doctors.

Apothecaries paid rent to the city magistrate not only in gold coins, but also in wine, sweets and paper. Due to expensive rent, pharmacists went bankrupt, and other doctors occupied the pharmacy building on the square.
At the end of the 16th century, the pharmacy was managed by Johann Burchardt, he became the founder of the dynasty of town hall pharmacists. Burchardt did not leave Tallinn even during the plague. The apothecary's descendants in the 17th century bought the apothecary from the magistrate's council for 600 taylers, but with an obligation to pay a tax of 30 taylers a year.
They say that the Russian Tsar Peter I was treated in the Burchardt pharmacy during his visit to Revel. In 1725, dying, the king ordered to send for Burchardt, but the pharmacist did not have time to arrive.

Legend of Old Thomas
Speaking of the Town Hall and Town Hall Square, one cannot fail to mention the legend of Old Thomas.
A long time ago, when Old Thomas was not yet old, but a boy, he liked to watch the archery tournament in the Parrot Garden. The archers had to knock down the parrot figurine, the winner received the title of the king of archers. Shooting competitions were a favorite city holiday.

Now in the Parrot Garden near the fortress wall, everyone can prove themselves in archery

According to the chronicler Balthazar Russov:
“Great was the amusement and joy of citizens from the shooting ranges on the summer days between Easter and Trinity. One guild after another went to shoot the bird. And it happened in such a way that last year's winner, called the "old king", was heading a long procession outside the city, "to the bird." This was arranged on Sundays, and the king was accompanied by city trumpeters and two foremen from the most respected members of the community. The whole community, both old and young, converged to this amusement, not without great danger from arrows with iron tips, sometimes wounding someone.

And when they threw arrows at the bird for half a day and knocked it down from the pole, the new king was congratulated from all sides with loud exclamations. And all the friends of the king rejoiced, and all those who had wagered on him. Shortly thereafter, the new king was escorted by all the members of the guild between the two most honorable ones, to the sound of fanfare, through the city to the guild hall. And in front of the building, the streets were full of people - men, women, maidens, children and all, with great amazement and joy staring at the king. And he had to carry a pole with a silver bird hanging from it.

This is what the "silver parrot" looked like - the challenge prize of the "king of archers"
In front of the king, his steel crossbow and an arrow were held high, with which a wooden bird was shot down. And when they entered the guild, everything was already well and luxuriously decorated. The wives and daughters of the guild brothers also gathered for the festive meal. From the most beautiful maidens, a bride was chosen for the king, even if he was already married. And this same queen had to sit and dance with him all the time.

And such competitions at the poles with a bird lasted after Easter for three Sundays in a row. On the same Sundays after dinner, even the priests were free from their usual duties, since everyone went not to church, but to birding ... "

The winner, as a sign of honor, received a silver dish as a gift and had to treat his comrades with beer and ham.

Once, the participants of the tournament could not hit the target in any way. Then young Thomas fired his arrow, which hit the target.
The losing archers wanted to "beat with sticks" a juvenile hooligan, but the townspeople appreciated Thomas's talent - at the expense of the city treasury they trained a boy who became a city guard. Growing up, Thomas showed himself as a brave warrior and earned the respect of the townspeople. The roof of the town hall was decorated with a figurine of Thomas.

Stamp with Old Thomas

From the chronicles of 1531:
"The painter Joachim was paid seven silver marks for gilding the warrior and the ball on the Town Hall tower."

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