TALLINN 103

Dominican

Monastery^4
Dominiiklaste klooster

Vene 16/18. Map D3. Tel 515

5489. @ 5, 40. v 1, 2, 3, 4.

      May–Sep: 10am–6pm daily.

      
      

      Private tours are available year
      round. & 8 tour offered to the
      monastery’s inner chambers through
      the cloister. = Dominican
      Monastery Museum # mid-May
      –mid-Sep: 10am–6pm daily. &
      http://www.kloostri.ee

      
      

Founded by Dominican
monks in 1246, this monas-
tery was a renowned centre
of learning and thrived until
the Reformation riots broke
out in 1524. The Lutherans
destroyed the monastery and
forced the monks into exile.
In 1531, a fire damaged
most of the desecrated St
Catherine’s Church, the
monastery’s south wing.
After suffering neglect for
four centuries, the ruined
monastery was renovated in

1954. Today a serene cloister,
      its atmospheric passageways
      and a pretty inner garden
      draw visitors.
      The star attraction, however,
      is the excellent Dominican
      Monastery Museum, with
      Estonia’s largest collection of
      medieval and Renaissance
      stone carvings created by
      local stonemasons. One of the
      prominent works, a deco-
      rative relief of an angel on a
      triangular slab, is attributed to
      Hans von Aken, the popular
      16th-century German
      Mannerist painter. The col-
      lection also includes carved
      14th-century tomb stones.

A passageway in the medieval
Dominican Monastery

Niguliste Church^5

Niguliste kirik

Niguliste 3. Map C4. Tel 631

4330. @ 5, 40. # 10am–5pm
      Wed–Fri. & tickets available until
      4:30pm (call 644 9903 for bookings).
      8 book in advance; extra charges
      for guided tours (up to 35 persons) in
      a foreign language. http://www.ekm.ee

Dedicated to St Nicholas,

Niguliste Church was built

in the 13th century, although

nearly all that remains today

is from the 15th century.

Most of Tallinn’s medieval

artworks were destroyed in

the Reformation riots of 1524.

However, according to legend,

Niguliste Church escaped

being ransacked due to the

laudable efforts of the church

warden, who sealed the door

with melted lead. The church

was restored during Soviet

times after being damaged by

Soviet air raids in World War II

and since then has served

as a museum.

Today, the building houses

Tallinn’s most impres sive col-

lection of medi eval religious

artworks. These include the

detailed altarpiece, painted in

1482 by Herman Rode of

Lübeck, showing scenes from

the life of St Nicholas, as well

as the beheading of St George,

and Dance Macabre, a 15th-

century frieze by the German

painter and sculptor Bernt

Notke, considered the church’s

finest object. Unfortunately

only a fragment of the

Exterior of Niguliste Church, one of

Tallinn’s medieval treasures

Ornate front door of the Renaissance

House of Blackheads

House of

Blackheads^6

Mustpeade maja

Pikk 26. Map D3. Tel 631 3199.

@ 5, 40. v 1, 2, 3, 4. # only for

chamber music concerts (call for

timings) or by appointment.

http://www.mustpeademaja.ee

This 15th-century Renaissance

building was the meeting

place of the Brotherhood of

Blackheads, an association

of unmarried merchants and

shipowners, who could join

the more powerful Great

Guild upon marriage. The

unusual name was inspired by

the North African St Maurice,

the organization’s patron

saint, whose image can be

seen on the ornate front door

of the building.

Unlike their counterparts in

Rīga, the Tallinn Blackheads

were obliged to defend the

city in times of strife and

proved themselves especially

formidable adversaries during

the Livonian Wars (see p96).

However, in general, it seems

that the wealthy Blackheads

lived somewhat leisurely and

hedonistic lives. The associa-

tion survived until the Soviet

invasion in 1940. Today, the

House of Blackheads regularly

hosts chamber music concerts

in its elegant main hall.

magnificent 30-m (98-ft)

original remains. Organ and

choral concerts are regularly

held here at weekends.