Dome Cathedral (Tallinn): the main attraction of the Estonian capital

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:43

Like any capital, Tallinn has a unique and great history. Therefore, it is obvious that in such cities, as a rule, a huge number of various attractions are concentrated, which delight tourists and which local residents are proud of. The Estonian capital is already 800 years old. During this time, many remarkable architectural objects have been located in its open spaces. One of them is the Dome Cathedral. Thanks to him, Tallinn became famous all over the world. The building is considered the oldest church in the city. It was built here by the Danes in the 13th century. And during its existence, the cathedral had a chance to see wars, and epidemics, and robberies.

History of the place of worship

The Dome Cathedral (Tallinn) is dedicated to the Holy Virgin Mary. This is a Lutheran church, it is located in the Old Town of the Estonian capital on Toom-Kooli street, house six. The full name of the object sounds like the Tallinn Episcopal Dome Church. Today, unfortunately, we cannot see the temple as it was built.originally. After all, the attraction has been repeatedly reconstructed and rebuilt, and therefore much has changed in it. The building of the cathedral was erected on the site where the old wooden church, built in 1219, was located.

The Dome Cathedral (Tallinn) was erected in 1240. Half a century later, a decision was made on the first reconstruction of the monastery. With the advent of the XV century, they wanted to remake the temple into a basilica. In 1648 there was a terrible fire during which the south tower was destroyed. A lot of the decor of the church has also been lost forever. After these events, after 90 years, an extreme change was made to the appearance of the building. Above it was built a western baroque tower. And in the 19th century, a Berlin master installed a huge organ in the cathedral.

Today there are three towers in the Dome Cathedral. The central one continued the altar part. The bell tower is located on the western side of the attraction.

Cathedral Bells

Dome Cathedral (Tallinn), whose address we indicated in the article, is famous for its bells. It houses four bronze bells. Two of them were cast in the 17th century. But the most famous is the bell of the Virgin Mary. It was made a short time after the terrible fire that occurred in the temple in 1865. The image of the Mother of God with the Child adorns this alarm. And on both sides of the face of the Saint, a poem in German is engraved.

Extraordinary shrine exhibits

Dome Cathedral (Tallinn) on its territory keeps a number of uniqueexhibits. Inside the church there are many religious objects that were created by the leading sculptors, jewelers and artists of those times. In the very center of the temple there is an altar, which was made by K. Akkerman at the end of the 17th century. Among the masterpieces of this master in the cathedral there is also a sculpture of Moses with the ten commandments. German artist E. Gebhardt painted the altar cloth.

The Cathedral of the Holy Virgin Mary keeps two lodges within its walls. One is made in the classical style and belonged to the Patkul family. The second was the property of the Manteuffel family and was made in the Baroque style. The unique exhibits of the shrine also include the altar of the Virgin Mary, as well as the face of Christ, which is called “Come to me.”

A large number of graves of famous historical figures are also located within the walls of the religious building. For example, the burial place of the famous navigator from Russia, Admiral Kruzenshtern. And in the basement of the object, there are over a hundred tombstones, which date back to the XIII-XVIII centuries. In addition, coats of arms and epitaphs of historical persons are stored here.

The organ of the Dome Cathedral deserves special mention. It is famous for its luxurious sound and is considered one of the best in Tallinn. Today the church houses an instrument made in 1878 by F. Ladegast in Berlin.

Interesting about the cathedral

Any sightseeing tours to Tallinn imply a visit to the Dome Cathedral, which keeps a lot of interesting facts about itself. So, the centuries-old history of the structure is evidenced by the fact that earlierit was necessary to climb the steps and thus it was possible to enter the church. Now, at the entrance to the attraction, people go down. This is due to the fact that a cultural layer appeared around the cathedral.

There is a legend that a huge tombstone is located almost near the very doors of the institution. The well-known lover of girls, Otto Johan Tuve, who was nicknamed the Tallinn Don Juan, is buried under it. He was very repentant before his death and ordered to be buried near the doors of the cathedral. Thus, he hoped that trampling on his ashes, the townspeople would forgive him his sins. There is a version that Otto asked to be buried at the entrance in order to be able to look under women's skirts even after death.

Concerts

The Dome Cathedral in Tallinn is incredibly famous today. Organ music concerts are wonderful here. And it was they who made the object popular throughout Estonia. Both tourists and the townspeople themselves regularly come to the church to enjoy these motives. Entrance to the event costs only five euros. For this money, people can enjoy an hour of extraordinarily beautiful music, which is one of the best experiences in the capital.

Open to all

If you still doubt whether it makes sense to book tours to Tallinn, then do not hesitate - this city is worth a visit. And especially then, to see the Dome Cathedral, which has passed through the centuries and survived more than one tragedy. Today it is majestic and beautiful. It was created for worship and for parishioners who believe in all good things and seek grace.