St. Olaf's Church, Tallinn, Estonia

St. Olaf’s Church (Oleviste kirik) is believed to have been built in the 12th century and to have been the centre for old Tallinn's Scandinavian community prior to the conquest of Tallinn by Denmark in 1219. Its dedication relates to King Olaf II of Norway (a.k.a. Saint Olaf, 995-1030). The first known written records referring to the church date back to 1267, and it was extensively rebuilt during the 14th century.

A legend tells that the builder of the church, named Olaf, upon its completion, fell to his death from atop the tower. It is said that when his body hit the ground, a snake and a toad crawled out of his mouth. There is a wall-carving depicting this event in the adjoining Chapel of Our Lady.

Around 1500, the building reached a height of 159 meters. The motivation for building such an immensely tall steeple must have been to use it as a maritime signpost, which made the trading city of Tallinn visible from far out at sea. Between 1549 and 1625, when the spire burnt down after a lightning strike, it was the tallest building in the world. The steeple of St. Olav has been hit by lightning at least eight times, and the whole church has burned down three times throughout its known existence. Following several rebuildings, its overall height is now 123.7 meters.

From 1944 until 1991, the Soviet KGB used Oleviste's spire as a radio tower and surveillance point. It currently continues as an active Baptist church. The tower's viewing platform offers panoramic views over the old town and is open to the public from April through November.

Reference: Wikipedia

User Reviews

Wisanu Tuntawiroon (5 months ago)
St. Olaf’s Church is one of Tallinn’s most iconic landmarks, with a rich history that’s both fascinating and humbling. Once claimed to be the tallest building in the medieval world, this towering structure has stood witness to centuries of change and even survived being struck by lightning multiple times. Unfortunately, it also suffered extensive damage from bombing during World War II, yet its resilience is a testament to the spirit of Tallinn.

Highway Video (5 months ago)
I didn’t go inside St. Olaf’s Church, and from the outside, it was just okay. The spire is tall and noticeable, but the exterior didn’t particularly stand out compared to other buildings in Tallinn’s Old Town. While it’s a historic landmark, I didn’t find it especially impressive from the outside. Maybe the views from the top or the interior would have made it more memorable, but I didn’t get the chance to explore further.

G Mac (6 months ago)
This is an exquisite church. There is a small charge to enter and a little extra if you want to climb the tower. The tower climb is a little taxi, and if you are afraid of heights, you may find difficulty when you reach the top as the platform is only 30 to 40 cm wide in some places. The views are extraordinary from this height, and to be close up to the tower and see its construction is amazing.

kat (7 months ago)
Minimalistic church but there was an organ performance when we visited, which was nice. It is free to enter the church but you have to pay to go up the tower (free with Tallinn card). I would definitely recommend going up the tower because the view is so amazing (very worth the 200+ stairs)! The navigation is a bit wonky and people were walking in opposite directions on a very narrow platform…

MVG REDDY (MVG Reddy) (8 months ago)
Nice place ..The entry ticket price of 3€ for students and 5€ for adults is totally justified for the view you have from the top! The stairs can be quite tall and narrow. Side by side two people can climb.. only pay by cash. Cards are not accepted..it is the problem for tourists. .In a highly digitalized country like Estonia, this is not understandable. We even had to go to ATM to get cash because we never thought that we’d need cash in the heart of Tallinn. Better to have some Euro cash in hand while visiting here...a must visit place to see the view of the city..

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