One of my objectives on our trip to Tallinn was to find new areas to explore. I had made a list of areas to explore in advance and that is what we set out to do.

Patarei sea fortress

We took an Uber to Kalaranna promenade and started walking along the water towards Noblessner. Our first stop was at Pataeri Sea Fortress. Patarei is one of the largest preserved building ensembles of classicist architecture. The complex was founded in 1840 as part of the defense system of Saint Petersburg. The independent Republic of Estonia used the barracks as the national central prison in 1920-1940 until Estonia was occupied by the Soviet Union. In 1940-1991, it was mainly used by the Soviet occupation regime as a detention facility. Patarei was also used as a prison after the restoration of Estonia’s independence (1991) until 2002. Now the complex is under restoration and you cannot visit the inside but I did snap some pictures from outside. The area is scheduled to open again in 2026.

Noblessner, a new neighborhood by the sea

Noblessner is located right by the sea in Tallinn. The history of Noblessner dates to 1912, when Imperial Russia’s principal submarine shipyard was established there. Submarine production ended when Estonia became independent in 1918 but shipbuilding and ship repairs have continued in Noblessner until August 2018. The first new apartment building in the area was completed in late 2017 and now there are many new buildings with new construction continuing. The area also houses a marina, several bars and restaurants, museums, and business spaces. I love the sea so this was really the spot for me. We also had a dinner reservation at Kampai in Noblessner. We had some time to kill before dinner so we stopped for drinks at Wambola Surf and sat on the deck of an old boat. After a super tasty dinner, we strolled back to our digs.

Põhjala Tehas – the next Telliskivi

Next morning we again had breakfast at the apartment and took care of some work. Then we jumped on the tram and headed to the Põhjala Factory area. This is an old rubber factory dating back to the 1920s. Between 1930 and 1940 the number of workers at the factory skyrocketed from 80 to 300. During the Soviet era, the focus was on production volume, and by the end of the 1970s, 700 people were employed at Põhjala. In 1998, the machines were switched off at Põhjala Tehas. Now it has been developed into a new cultural center. We started by visiting the REaD bookstore and café and I fell instantly in love. Then we explored the surrounding area and I went camera crazy. Eventually, we sat down for a bite to eat at Karjase sai and had the best chocolate croissant ever.

Stay tuned for one more Tallinn post.

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