Architecture of Estonia – Old Architecture and New Together • I
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Directory of Open Access Journals Architecture of Estonia – old Architecture and new together • I. Cristea ARCHITECTURE OF ESTONIA - OLD AND NEW TOGETHER Iulius CRISTEA Lecturer, Ph. D., architect, “Ion Mincu” University of Architecture and Urbanism Introduction in Architectural Design Department, e-mail: [email protected] Abstract . The presentation aims to bring some clarification about the relationship in Estonian old-new architecture. Estonia has a very valuable historical and architectural heritage, bringing together works and urban ensembles from different eras and styles. The medieval period is represented by monuments dating back from more than 800 years, with Germanic and Norse influences. From Tsarist rule (1721-1920) has left important neoclassical buildings. Estonia's independence period between the two world wars (1920-1940) was particularly prolific in modern architecture, from Art Nouveau to International Style. Soviet occupation period (1944-1991), has left, outside of the dwelling houses some reference works. After regaining its independence, Estonian architecture oriented towards Scandinavian and Western models, while keeping in it the local spirit, which has led to some remarkable achievements. Key words : integration, conservation, restoration, reconversion, environment 1. Introduction architectural heritage, bringing together Estonia is on the same meridian with works and urban ensembles from our country, at a distance of approx. different eras and styles. The medieval 2000 km, being part of the Northern period is represented by monuments Europe, both geographically and dating back from more than 800 years, culturally. Although our countries have with Germanic and Nordic influences. gone through similar experiences in From Tsarist rule (1721-1920) has left recent history, the links between the important neoclassical buildings. two countries are rather weak and Estonia's independence period between mutual knowledge about each other the two world wars (1920-1940) was quite limited. It can be said that there particularly prolific in modern are common features but also important architecture, from Art Nouveau to differences between the two cultures. International Style. Soviet occupation period (1944-1991), has left, outside of This presentation aims to bring some the dwelling houses some reference clarification about the relationship in works. After regaining its Estonian old-new architecture. First of independence, Estonian architecture all, it must be said that Estonia has a oriented towards Scandinavian and very valuable historical and Western models, while keeping in it the 73 Urbanism. Arhitectură. Construcţii • Vol. 5 • Nr. 4• 2014 • local spirit, which has led to some were trade and navigation. The city was remarkable achievements. known as Reval, from XIII century until 1917. In 1219, the city was conquered by For a better understanding of local the Danes, and in 1346, it entered under conditions it should also be mentioned the domination of the Livonian Order, that Estonia has an area of 45,227 km2 which was a part of the Order of the and a population of just 1.3 million Teutonic Knights. Since 1583, Estonia inhabitants. Estonians are a Finno-Ugric came under Swedish domination, until people, whose language resemble to 1721, when it was conquered by the Finnish (Alak et al ., 2008). Russian Empire (Zobel, 2001). 2. Traditional architecture Between the XIII and XVI centuries, Estonian folk architecture consists Tallinn was part of the Hanseatic generally of households of homes and League, the alliance of large commercial dependencies, located around a central port cities of northern Europe, which place. The villages have rare housing, contributed significantly to its economic the buildings are in the middle of the and cultural development. agricultural land belonging to the household. Distances between Tallinn preserved historical relics of households are generally a few various historical eras. Defensive hundred meters. Mostly wooden fortifications and bastions of the town buildings are constructed using beams have been mostly kept. The old city is and sloping roofs. Generally, reed marked by the presence of many roofing materials and wooden tiles medieval towers, including some of were used. Houses, furniture and great slenderness. working tools are very much alike those in our popular culture (Vaiksoo, Church of St. Olav (Oleviste Kirik), 2011). In Tallinn there is a similar open built in 1549, which tower reached 159 air village museum as in Bucharest, the m, was the tallest building in the museum at Rocca al Mare, exhibiting world, a record that was kept until farms and other peasant buildings. 1625 (Tänavsuu, 2010). Then, due to a Traditional architectural typologies can fire caused by lightning, the church be found in Estonian villages also burned completely. Tower that exists today. Wood, being found in now only reaches up to 124 m, still abundance, remains the main dominating the old town (Dubovik and construction material in rural areas. Liivik, 2011). 3. Medieval architecture Town Hall Square (Raekoja Plats) is Tallinn is the oldest capital in Northern marked by the old Town Hall buildings Europe and the largest city in the (1402-1404), now a museum, and country, with a population of approx. surrounded by impressive medieval 424,000 inhabitants, is an important port buildings. The square is used for on the Baltic Sea. The city was founded concerts and events, and in summer, the in 1050 on the site of a settlement dating restaurants take out their tables, from ca. 5000 years by building a attracting a lot of tourists. Pointy Hall wooden fortress on Toompea hill. Ever tower has a wind vane on top in form of since then, the city's main activities a guard, nicknamed Old Toomas (Vana 74 Architecture of Estonia – old Architecture and new together • I. Cristea Toomas). The building of the Town Hall was used as a prison in 1884 a prison (Raekoda) has been restored during office building was built. In 1917 the decades and was ready for its six tower was burned, and prisoners, hundred years birthday. In 2005, it mostly political, freed. In 1930 the received the EU/Europa Nostra medal. building became a history museum. The project began in 1958 and was held Since 1978, the building houses the by the historian and architect Teddy Estonian Maritime Museum. Bökler. The limestone gothic structure is the oldest town hall in Europe still in Apart from ground fortifications, use (Stubbs and Makas, 2011). Tallinn has an important network of underground tunnels, also built for Along the narrow streets of the old town defensive purposes. In the twentieth the fronts of medieval buildings are century, these tunnels were rebuilt for lined up, some dating from more recent civil protection. It seems that there are historical periods (Jürgen, 2010). Old city tunnels forgotten nowadays, last one walls, with defensive towers, were in the was discovered in 2003 during the Middle Ages one of the strongest works for the Museum of Occupations. defensive structures in northern Europe, with thickness of 3 m, height of 16 m and Long Street (Pikk Tänav) is one of the a length of about 4 km. main streets of the old town, along which were the headquarters of major The defence tower for cannons was commercial guilds. From the built after the bastion system of the architectural point of view, there is to Netherlands, in the years 1518-1529. Its remember the three merchants houses role was to defend the city against known as the Three Sisters (Kolm Ŏde), possible attacks from the sea. Its name, built in XIV century. The houses were Large Margaret (Paks Margareeta) was renovated in 2003 and converted into a given to the tower in 1842, before the hotel. Another valuable building is the tower was known as Rosencrantz headquarters of the Brotherhood of the (Gustavson, 1994). The tower was Blackheads that draws its name from designed by architect Clemens Pale, in the fact that the guild patron was St. 1520, and the site master was Gert Mauritius. Guild, made up of Koningk from Münster, who was in unmarried German merchants was charge also of the construction of the responsible for organizing the defence St. Olav church. Large Margaret tower of the city and spring festivals. was the last of its kind built in Tallinn. Renaissance style facades with Flemish Its diameter is 25 m, and the walls have influence date from 1597. Portal, in red, a thickness of 4.5-6.5 m, being thicker green and gold, dates from 1640 at the base and thinner on top. The (Raudkivi, 2009). tower has 5 floors, of which 3 for cannons and fourth and fifth floors The old town is very well preserved, all having openings for riflemen. The the buildings being restored. If in the height of the tower, due to uneven 1990s the wearing some of the buildings terrain, is 16 m in west and 22 m in in the old city was obvious, by now all east. Along with the tower the buildings are emphasized, resulting a defensive wall was built with thickness coherent architectural ensemble. The of 3 m and 7 m high. In 1830 the tower streets are rehabilitated with historic 75 Urbanism. Arhitectură. Construcţii • Vol. 5 • Nr. 4• 2014 • paving, commercial spaces, not too admired. With an octagonal plan, the many, are situated on the ground floors Hermann Tower, also known as of the buildings and decorated with Vallitorn, was the only one of the castle taste and respect for historical that had been preserved until 1941, architecture. Automobile traffic is very when it was destroyed by the Red limited in the old city, where many Army. The tower was rebuilt in 1993 to streets are pedestrian. Tallinn's old commemorate 650 years of the uprising town was included in 1997 on the of the night of St.