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History of Tallinn

By kivi
  • Period: Jan 1, 1154 to

    Tallinn

  • Tallinn was first marked
    Apr 1, 1154

    Tallinn was first marked

    Arab geographer al-Idrisi marked Tallinn on a world map.
  • The Dane conquest
    Jan 1, 1219

    The Dane conquest

    King Valdemar II conquered northern Estonia.
  • The Knights of the Sword
    Apr 8, 1227

    The Knights of the Sword

    They took Tallinn from the Danes and made Toompea their fortress. The Brotherhood had its headquarters in Fellin (Viljandi), where the walls of the Master's castle still stand. By 1233 they had conquered most of Estonia.
  • Hanseatic League
    Jan 1, 1285

    Hanseatic League

    Tallinn joined the German-dominated Hanseatic League.
  • Tallinn was sold to the German people
    Jan 1, 1350

    Tallinn was sold to the German people

    Denmark sold its possessions to the German Teutonic Order
  • Swedes took control over Estonia

    Swedes took control over Estonia

    "The good old Swedish era" began and foundations were laid for the Estonian school system
  • Northern War

    Northern War

    Russians conquered Estonia, because they wanted to open a window onto Europe
  • Railway line

    Railway line

    A railway line from St. Petersburg to Tallinn changed life for the better. It took about 8000 people to build the railway line and at first the railway was used by 16 passenger trains and 34 freight trains. Their speed was about 35 versts an hour.
  • Independence

    Independence

    Estonia was proclaimed an independent democratic republic. Tallinn developed into a modern European capital. It was followed by a period of prosperity.
  • Bombing of the city

    Bombing of the city

    The Soviet air force bombed Tallinn and left 40 000 people homeless. The attack was a revenge for the soviet troops because they failed to conquer Narva by february 17.
  • Russian occupation

    Russian occupation

    It began with a pact between Estonia and the Soviet Union that allowed Russian troops and military bases to settle in Estonia. The occupation lasted for 5 decades. During that time attempts were made to Russify local people.
  • Re-establishment of independence

    Re-establishment of independence

    The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 because of disagreements of the presidents. Due to that Estonia regained its independence and has remained independent from that time.
  • Old Town

    Old Town

    The Old Town of Tallinn was included in UNESCO World Heritage List.