Inscription criteria on the List of the UNESCO World Heritage (1997)

A sea cost capital, a rare jewel in the north of Europe in the Gulf of Finland, that’s Tallinn: one of the most completely preserved medieval cities in Europe.
Once a medieval Hanseatic town and for long periods in history dominated by the Germans, Swedes and Russians, Tallinn today contain lots of influence from those days but still manages to retain an Estonian soul and identity. This is not a huge capital, just about 400,000 inhabitants, but it has it all. A very rich cultural and pleasant atmosphere and many interesting sights yet to be explored.
The other side of the coin is an important Baltic seaport and a modern city with extra ordinary telecom and Internet solutions. A place for business in the 21st century. Add innumerable diverse cultural events, bargain shopping, five star or budget hotels and a pulsing nightlife and you have a city that is a must to visit when you are in the Baltic Region.
Tallinn has historically consisted of three parts:

• The Toompea (Domberg) or "Cathedral Hill", which was the seat of the central authority: first the Danish captains, then the komturs of the Teutonic Order, and Swedish and Russian governors. It was until 1877 a separate town (Dom zu Reval), the residence of the aristocracy; it is today the seat of the Estonian government and many embassies and residencies.

• The Old Town, which is the old Hanseatic town, the "city of the citizens", was not administratively united with Cathedral Hill until the late 19th century. It was the centre of the medieval trade on which it grew prosperous.

• The Estonian town forms a crescent to the south of the Old Town, where the Estonians came to settle. It was not until the mid-19th century that ethnic Estonians replaced the local Baltic Germans as the majority amongst the residents of Tallinn.

Historically, the city has been attacked, sacked, razed and pillaged on numerous occasions. Although extensively bombed by Soviet air forces during the latter stages of World War II, much of the medieval Old Town still retains its charm. The Tallinn Old Town (including Toompea) became a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 1997.
At the end of the 15th century a new 159 m high Gothic spire was built for St. Olav's Church. Between 1549 and 1625 it was the tallest building in the world. After several fires and following rebuilding, its overall height is now 123 m.