Tallinn Quiz: Medieval Old Town and Towers of Estonia
This Tallinn quiz explores the capital of Estonia and its fairy-tale Old Town, with questions on Old Thomas on the Town Hall spire, the Town Hall Pharmacy, the first public Christmas tree, Kadriorg Palace and Peter the Great, the tower called Kiek in de Kök, Fat Margaret, Toompea Hill, the 1980 Olympic sailing races, the submarine Lembit and Bolt. Ten questions.
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🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 90 Seconds
Symbols
Old Thomas, a symbol of Tallinn, is a figure of what?
Pharmacies
Tallinn's Town Hall Pharmacy is famous for being one of the oldest what in Europe?
Christmas
Tallinn claims to have hosted what in 1441, organized by the Brotherhood of Blackheads?
Palaces
Which ruler built Kadriorg Palace in Tallinn for his wife Catherine?
Towers
What does the name of the cannon tower Kiek in de Kök mean in Low German?
Towers
Which wide, round artillery tower in Tallinn's walls is nicknamed for its size?
Hills
What stands today on Toompea Hill in Tallinn?
Olympics
Tallinn hosted the sailing events of which Olympic Games?
Submarines
Which 1930s submarine can visitors explore at Tallinn's Seaplane Harbour museum?
Startups
Which ride-hailing company, now used in dozens of countries, was founded in Tallinn?
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Scroll down to see the explanation for each question.
Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions
- Q1: Old Thomas, a symbol of Tallinn, is a figure of what?
Answer: A town guard on the Town Hall weathervane
The original weathervane was placed in 1530. Legend says Thomas was a poor boy who became a guard after winning an archery contest.
- Q2: Tallinn's Town Hall Pharmacy is famous for being one of the oldest what in Europe?
Answer: Continuously operating pharmacies
It was first mentioned in 1422 and still sells medicines today. Its small museum displays old remedies such as mummy powder and dried toads.
- Q3: Tallinn claims to have hosted what in 1441, organized by the Brotherhood of Blackheads?
Answer: One of the first public Christmas trees
Riga, in Latvia, makes a similar claim. Today, a Christmas tree and market fill Town Hall Square every winter.
- Q4: Which ruler built Kadriorg Palace in Tallinn for his wife Catherine?
Answer: Peter the Great
Kadriorg means Catherine's valley in Estonian. The Baroque palace now houses an art museum, and the president's office is in the park.
- Q5: What does the name of the cannon tower Kiek in de Kök mean in Low German?
Answer: Peek into the kitchen
Guards on the tower could look down into the kitchens of nearby houses. Tunnels beneath it, known as bastion passages, are open to visitors.
- Q6: Which wide, round artillery tower in Tallinn's walls is nicknamed for its size?
Answer: Fat Margaret
Its walls are up to 4 meters thick. The tower now houses the Estonian Maritime Museum.
- Q7: What stands today on Toompea Hill in Tallinn?
Answer: Estonia's parliament
Toompea Castle's pink Baroque building houses the Riigikogu, the parliament. The Tall Hermann tower beside it flies the Estonian flag.
- Q8: Tallinn hosted the sailing events of which Olympic Games?
Answer: The 1980 Moscow Olympics
The Pirita yachting center and the Tallinn TV Tower were built for the regatta. The TV tower is now a visitor attraction.
- Q9: Which 1930s submarine can visitors explore at Tallinn's Seaplane Harbour museum?
Answer: The Lembit
The Lembit was built in Britain for the Estonian navy. The museum is in giant concrete seaplane hangars from 1917.
- Q10: Which ride-hailing company, now used in dozens of countries, was founded in Tallinn?
Answer: Bolt
Markus Villig started it in 2013 at age 19 under the name Taxify. Estonia has produced more startups per person than almost any other country.
Tallinn Quiz – Estonia's Medieval Capital
Tallinn is the capital of Estonia, located on the Gulf of Finland across the sea from Helsinki. Its Old Town is one of the best-preserved medieval city centers in Europe, with cobbled streets, towers, churches and merchant houses. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.
Tallinn grew as a trading port of the Hanseatic League, a network of merchant cities around the Baltic Sea. German merchants built churches, guild halls and strong city walls with dozens of towers. The Lower Town was the home of merchants and craftspeople, while Toompea Hill, the Upper Town, was the seat of nobles and rulers.
Town Hall Square is the heart of the Old Town. The Gothic Town Hall is topped by Old Thomas, and the Town Hall Pharmacy has served customers since at least 1422. Towers such as Fat Margaret and Kiek in de Kök guard the walls. Toompea Castle now houses the Estonian parliament.
Beyond the Old Town, Kadriorg Palace was built by Peter the Great, and Pirita was the site of the 1980 Olympic sailing regatta. Telliskivi Creative City and the Seaplane Harbour museum show Tallinn's modern, creative side.
Tallinn is a high-tech city, home to startups such as Bolt, and a short ferry ride from Helsinki.
Medieval traditions live on in summer festivals and in restaurants serving dishes from old recipes. In winter, the Christmas market in Town Hall Square draws visitors from across Europe, and the snowy rooftops make the Old Town look like a scene from a storybook.
This quiz covers the history, towers, palaces and modern life of Tallinn.
What This Quiz Teaches
This quiz is perfect for travelers, history fans and tech lovers.
- Old Thomas and the Town Hall Pharmacy
- Tallinn's Christmas tree claim
- Kadriorg Palace and Peter the Great
- Kiek in de Kök, Fat Margaret and Toompea
- The 1980 Olympic sailing regatta
- The Seaplane Harbour museum and Bolt
Quick Facts About Tallinn
- About 1.9 kilometers of Tallinn's medieval walls survive.
- Ferries to Helsinki take about two hours.
- Public transport has been free for residents since 2013.
- St. Olaf's Church was once among the tallest buildings in the world.
- Marzipan has long been sold in the Old Town.
- The Song Festival Grounds host Estonia's huge choir events.
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