Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Our video (Estonia boulevard)

Russian street

There is Russian street(Vene tänav in Estonian) in the old part of Tallinn, capital of Estonia. The Dominican Monastery, or to be precise, its surviving parts together with its nearest neighbourhood make up so called Latin Quarter where medieval mentality is carefully preserved. The Latin Quarter also includes the Catholic church of St.Peter's and St.Paul's, the Tallinn City Museum(14th-18th c.) occupying a house with decorative ashlar facade panel and a medieval hall across the street. The museum has a large number of exciting items on Tallinn's early history. Also associated with the Latin Quarter are several schoolhouses of the Old City Educational College, at Nos 13,15,21 and 22 Vene street, and, a short way down the street next the Bremen Tower, the Orthodox church of St.Nicholas the Wonderworker.

Luhike jalg and Pikk jalg


For a long time there were only two ways to get from Toompea to the Lower Town – on foot down a steep slope called Luhike jalg(Short leg) where steps have been built by today or by horse along slightly gentler route, Pikk jalg( Long Leg), the street descending immediately beneath Toompea’s bluff. Originally there was a simple gate at the bottom of Luhike jalg, but in the mid-15th century a mighty gate tower with a strong door was built at the upper end of the street.

Viru street

The name of street is the same in Estonian.
Viru street is the main shopping street in the Old Town. A lot was built there in the 2nd half of the 19th and early 20th century.
For many visitors the first sign of Old Town is Viru Gate. Actually only the two side towers of its fortified approach have come down to our days and the town wall is still 40 meters away from where they stand. Viru gate Hill or kissing Hill was also formerly part of the town’s fortifications, the High Viru Gate bastion

L. Koidula Street(1923)



It was named in honour of Estonian poetess Lydia Koidula (1843-1886).
Earlier the street was named Kadriorg street, later Institute street. In the house number 23 there was an institute of noble maidens. The institute was founded in 1863 by the order of tsar Alexander II.
Anton Hansen-Tammsaare, famouse Estonian writer(1878-1940), lived in this street for a long time.




Fr. R. Kreutzwaldi Street (1923)


It is named in honour of the Estonian writer, the founder of the epos "Kalevipoeg" Friedrrich Reinhold Kreutzwald (1803-1882).
The first mention of this street referred to 1913. Then it was called Romanov prospect (avenue) - in honour of reign family of Romanovy in Russia.
In 1923 the street was renamed into honour of Fr. R. Kreutzwald.

Sea boulevard,1884

Connects Sadama street (Port street) and central Viru square.
Former names of street were Promenaadi tee (Promenade street), Promenaden Strasse