Tallinn’s Medieval City Centre Is Sinking
Text Timo Raussi Photo Visit Estonia / Giulio Gröbert
The mythical Atlantis disappeared beneath the sea, but Tallinn’s Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site…into the Gulf of Finland? Buildings in the medieval district have begun to subside, and the city is now investigating the causes and looking for solutions, according to the Estonian public broadcaster ERR. This spring, residents have also been talking about the uneven cobblestones on Town Hall Square, which have become more pronounced than they have been for many years.
“More than 20 buildings have shown damage caused, in one way or another, by subsidence or other structural problems. Considering the total number of buildings in the Old Town, this is quite a significant figure, and in reality there may be even more. Many of these properties require extensive renovations that will be costly for their owners,” Toomas Haidak, Head of Development Services at Tallinn’s Environment and Public Works Department, told ERR.
One of the underlying causes lies in the natural springs that have existed for centuries on Toompea Hill. Water from these springs along with stormwater from increasingly frequent heavy rainfall flows towards the sea through historic drainage channels and pipe systems. For example, beneath the buildings between Pikk Street and Lai Street there is a natural bowl-shaped depression through which water must pass, as it would otherwise struggle to continue its course.
According to Toomas Oosalu, a member of the Old Town Residents and Entrepreneurs Association, the fundamental problem is that the city does not have an accurate understanding of the condition of these historic drainage channels. “They may have been damaged during numerous construction projects.” Although strict heritage protection regulations have meant there has been very little new construction in the area, major renovations of historic buildings have taken place, including the hotel and casino complex on Rataskaevu Street and the City Theatre on Lai Street.
Over the years, water pipe failures have also occurred in the Old Town, allowing water to wash away the soil beneath the streets. Such failures have often been linked to deferred maintenance or inadequate upkeep of individual properties. However, Haidak is reluctant to identify them as the main cause of the wider subsidence affecting the district.
Tallinn is often praised for its innovative approach, but opinions may differ in this case. In the coming months, Haidak’s department plans to launch a project analysing satellite images of the Old Town taken over many years to determine whether they reveal changes in the rate of building subsidence over time. The project follows a smaller study carried out in 2024, which did not reach any firm conclusions about what is causing the phenomenon or whether the city should take action. Meanwhile, according to Oosalu, cracks in buildings and even the risk of structural collapse have become part of everyday reality.
Perhaps now is the right time, or even the last opportunity, to explore Tallinn’s Old Town more carefully than ever. Wander through its narrow streets enclosed by medieval walls and towers, admire buildings dating from the 14th and 15th centuries, and discover the history of this Hanseatic city with the help of the free “See the Old Town in a New Light” audio guide and map.
To learn more about this and similar topicsaudio guide medieval buildings Old town Pikk Street Tallinn Toompea Hill Town Hall Square Travel
