Peek Inside and Fall in Love!

Text Johanna Heinonen
Photos Evert Palmets, Hepsor, Sergei Krasii

 

Open House Tallinn takes place from 11–12 October, offering a unique opportunity to visit around 40 buildings and sites that are normally closed to the public. This year’s theme is “The Architectural Heritage of the Future”.

“Architecture is more than just form or aesthetics. When we talk about the architectural heritage of the future, we’re talking about the kind of city we are building right now. Open House Tallinn offers a rare chance to step into places usually off limits, and experience spaces from a new perspective. This helps us understand that a city is made up both of historical monuments, and entirely new buildings and ideas,” says festival producer Aleksander Tali.

 

 

The festival’s programme features locations from across Tallinn. Included are seven educational institutions, such as the Estonian Academy of Arts, and Tõnismäe and Pelgulinn High Schools—the latter being constructed entirely out of wood. Seven government buildings will also open their doors to the public, including Toompea Castle, where the Estonian Parliament meets.

Among the sites are iconic industrial landmarks, cultural centres, theatres, sanctuaries, developing city districts, and harbour areas. This wide-ranging lineup highlights how diverse Tallinn’s urban space is—and how much there is still to discover, even for those who believe they know the city inside and out.

 

 

Sites open to the public include:

• The Estonian History Museum and Maarjamäe Palace
• Eesti Draamateater (Estonian Drama Theatre)
• ERR TV House
• Film Museum
• Linnahall
• Manufaktuur Quarter
• Noblessner
• Hotel Palace
• Südalinna Theatre
• Swedbank Headquarters
• Toompea Castle
• Riigikogu (Estonian Parliament)
• EMTA Academy of Music and Theatre
• Bank of Estonia
• Hundipea district
• Paljassaare Harbour
• Winter Garden at Kadriorg Park
• Pirita Convent
• Põhjala Factory
• Hungarian Cultural Institute
• and the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In addition to building tours, the programme includes lectures and special guided visits, with more detailed information to be released in September. The festival is free of charge, but some tours require advance registration. Registration opens on 11 September at 18:00 via the Fienta ticketing service.

More information is available on the Open House Tallinn website, and on their social media channels.

 

 

 

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