Hanseatic outpost
Tallinn's first contacts with the Hanseatic League can be traced back to 1285. Conveniently located on the trade route to Novgorod in Russia, the city became immensely wealthy as an outpost of the Hanseatic League in north-eastern Europe. The medieval merchants´ wealth can still be admired today in the impressive buildings from the Hanseatic period. The medieval town hall, the centre of civic power, and the impressive fortifications stand out in particular. The old Town Hall Pharmacy, the longest continuously maintained pharmacy in the world since 1422, can also be visited directly opposite the town hall. There is also a new addition: a wreck of a Hanseatic cog discovered in 2015 has recently become the exhibition highlight of the Maritime Museum in the Fat Margaret city wall tower. The city also offers a culinary specialty: in the medieval restaurant "Olde Hansa" you can enjoy authentic dishes based on original recipes from the times of the Hansa.
Further information:
- Visit Tallinn official city guide
- Olde Hansa on Visit Tallinn
- Old Town of Tallinn on the UNESCO World Heritage List