Estonia

Though occupied by the Soviets for decades, the Republic of Estonia considers itself much more influenced by Nordic tastes and traditions than by Russian sensibilities. Think of this small country as Scandinavian with a twist. Yet foreign occupations did leave their mark on the architecture of Estonia's cathedrals, on the look of her streets, the lines of her manor houses, and the designs of her palaces. Indeed, modern-day Estonia is nothing less than a living illustration of important historic moments.

     We especially love the capital city of Tallinn, whose Old Town has been named a UNESCO World Heritage site. UNESCO calls the city, “an exceptionally complete and well-preserved medieval northern European trading city on the coast of the Baltic Sea. The city developed as a significant center of the Hanseatic League during the major period of activity of this great trading organization in the 13th-16th centuries… The upper town (Toompea) with the castle and the cathedral has always been the administrative center of the country, whereas the lower town preserves to a remarkable extent the medieval urban fabric of narrow winding streets, many of which retain their medieval names, and fine public and burgher buildings, including town wall, Town Hall, pharmacy, churches, monasteries, merchants’ and craftsmen’ guilds, and the domestic architecture of the merchants’ houses, which have survived to a remarkable degree… from the 13th-14th centuries.”

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