Gothic Portals & Gables of Tallinn

Introduction

Tallinn has a well-preserved Gothic old town. Its churches date back to the Middle Ages, even though many were later significantly altered, especially in the 19th century, blurring the line between the original Gothic and Gothic Revival architectures. A number of the city’s merchant’s houses which were originally Gothic got new façades in the eras of Baroque and Neoclassicism, but their proportions are still visibly Gothic and in the interior, medieval elements can be found. In contrast, a lot of Gothic buildings remain relatively unaltered.

Sites

In my collection I have concentrated on two important features of the Gothic style: the portals and the gables.

1. Church of Saint Nicholas | Niguliste 3 | north portal – late 13th century; south portal – late 13th century; Chapel of Saint Anthony: external portal – 1486-1493; Chapel of Saint Anthony: gable – 1486-1493
2. Cathedral of Saint Mary | Toom-Kooli 6 | south-east portal: early 14th century; south-west portal – 14th century; portal of south-west chapel – 15th century
3. Church of Saint Catherine | Vene 14a | west portal – second half of 14th century; south-west portal – second half of 14th century
4. Convent of Saint Bridget | Merivälja tee 18 | west gable – 1417-1436; west portal – 1417-1436
5. Church of Saint Olaf | Lai 50 | west portal – early 1440s; portal of south chapel – 15th century
6. Church of the Holy Spirit | Pühavaimu 2 | 1597
7. Town Hall | Raekoja plats 1 | 1402-1404
8. Great Guild Hall | Pikk 17 | 1407-1417
9. Saint Olaf’s Guild Hall | Pikk 24 & Pühavaimu 9 | 1419-1424
10. Town Jail | Raekoja 6 | Hans Howensteen, 1441-1442
11. House of the prison warden and bailiffs | Raekoja 4 | 1440s
12. Armoury and foundry | Rüütli 8 & 10 | armoury – 1449-1450, foundry – unknown
13. Packing House | Vana turg 1 | stonework – Siffer Kock & Paul Harra, carpentery – Jacob Wichman, 1655-1656
14. Three Sisters | Pikk 71 | corner building – early 15th century, middle building – 1415, small building – around 1451
15. Lai 29 | 1413
16. Vanaturu kael 3 | 1420, late 17th century
17. Dunkri 6 | first quarter of 15th century, reconstruction in second half of 17th century
18. Rüütli 18 | known from 1431
19. Kuninga 6 | 1438
20. Vana turg 6 & Viru 2 | 14th & 15th centuries
21. Sauna 4 | first half of 15th century
22. Suur-Karja 8 | first half of 15th century
23. Bishop’s House | Kuninga 1 | 1451
24. Kinga 10 | 15th century
25. Vene 23 | 15th century
26. Pikk 43 | 15th century
27. Hobusepea 12 | 15th century
28. Three Brothers | Lai 38, 40 & 42 | 15th century
29. Pikk 15 | 15th century
30. Pikk 69 & Tolli 1 | probably 15th century
31. Tolli 3 | 15th century
32. Vene 12 | 15th century
33. Olevimägi 2 | 15th century
34. Tolli 6 | 15th century
35. Rüütli 12 | late 15th century
36. Rüütli 12a | late 14th century, 1514-1515
37. Lai 23 | second quarter of 16th century
38. Aida 6 | 15th century
39. Dunkri 9 | early 15th century
40. Pikk 7 | probably mid-15th century
41. Pikk 55 | second half of 15th century
42. Side portal of the Scheel Bank building | Suur-Karja 1 | 1498
43. Rüütli 2 | 15th century
44. Pikk 51 | 15th century
45. Pikk 45 | 15th century
46. Vene 17 | 1506
47. Kinga 7 | 16th century
48. Vene 16
49. Vene 4

Map

See the mentioned sites on the map.

Portfolio 1

Church Portals & Gables

Portfolio 2

Portals & Gables of Public Buildings

Portfolio 3

Merchants’ Houses with Surviving Gothic Gables and/or Portals

Portfolio 4

Gothic Portals on Later, Non-Gothic Façades

Photos

Taken in February 2018

Portfolios > Baltics