Raekoja plats

The heart of Tallinn’s Old Town since the beginning of the 14th century is Raekoja plats. The first market square established in the lower town (the upper town was around Tοompea Castle) became the town hall square in the 1370s when the Raekoda, the town hall we still see today was first erected on the south side of the square. The seat of the local government for hundreds of years is one of the last and best-preserved Gothic town halls in Europe.

Its 64 meters tower is topped with a famous symbol of the city, Vana Toomas or Old Thomas. Today a copy of the original, the figure represents a native peasant boy who at the start of the 16th century won a crossbow competition organized by the German elite. Due to his low class which would normally exclude him from competing, the mayor could not offer him the winner’s prize.

Instead, he offered him a position in the city guard where he would later shine as one of the heroes of the Livonian War. Upon his death, a weather-vane figure of him was placed on top of the mayoral building. Old Thomas is considered today one of the long-lasting symbols of the city. A climb up the stairs of the tower can give you a bird’s eye view of the old town.

A square is a great place for people-watching, for a relaxed beer or a coffee, and ranks among the top choices for most visitors. Locals seem to prefer it more at Christmas when the whole square becomes an open-air market packed with mulled wine kiosks and food carts. The Old Town Days of May,  a period when the medieval tradition of Tallinn is celebrated as part of a big Spring festival, is another high time for Raekoja plats.

The Raeapteek (Town Hall Pharmacy) located on the northeast corner of the square is considered to be the oldest pharmacy in Europe that has continuously been in business in the same building. The exact opening date is not known, but in 1422 the pharmacy already had its third owner. The small museum in the pharmacy will give you a glimpse of some 17th alchemy and famous herbs or even test various herbal tea blends, picked from local fields.