Tallinn dotted with statues of famous figures, animals and ordinary folks
From a stray dog and street cat to internationally recognized names, Estonia's capital city offers a quirky mix of monuments to both famous figures and local favorites.
Tallinn's streets and parks are full of statues — some grand, some playful, some more somber memorials.
The city has statues and memorials of national epic hero Kalevipoeg and a dragon, locally famous neighborhood pets and a dozing stationmaster, but also a fallen 19th century American balloonist and, as of recently, even Mahatma Gandhi.
Estonians clearly have a soft spot for monuments.
Finally installed in Mustamäe late last month, the Gandhi statue was a gift from India in 2019, in honor of the leader's 150th birthday.
Politician and filmmaker Artur Talvik says a monument may not be what he would have wanted, but it has sparked more conversation about the famed leader and activist.
"Gandhi died [less than] a year after India gained independence," he noted.
Other statues and monuments add charm and character to neighborhoods across Tallinn — some widely known, others more tucked-away gems.
In Nõmme's Glehn Park, folk hero Kalevipoeg keeps watch over a dragon — which people ended up referring to as a crocodile. The pair of figures was designed and created in 1908 by Glehn Castle owner Nikolai von Glehn.
The statue was destroyed by the Russians in World War I, but sculptor Mati Karmin recreated it in 1990.
Nearby at Nõmme Railway Station, a dozing stationmaster has his shoelace pecked by a chicken, a whimsical sculpture by Lembit Onton.
In Noblessner you'll find "Ground-to-air Girl," a sculpture by Heigo Jelle depicting a young girl appearing to rise skyward.
Põhja-Tallinn also boasts two statues celebrating local animals.
In the Telliskivi area, one depicts Kalamaja August, a fluffy orange cat who roams the neighborhood of the same name and occasionally stops by.
Outside Arsenal Center, meanwhile, is Žorik, the late stray dog whose monument is a tribute to all stray animals and reminder to pet owners to take good care of their pets.
Behind Estonia Theater in Central Tallinn stands a statue of Konstantin Päts, Estonia's first president, while next to nearby St. John's Church, a bench plays Chopin — a gift from Poland marking the composer's 200th birthday.
Along the road hugging Tallinn Bay in Pirita is Mati Karmin's "To the Brave and Courageous," commemorating American parachutist, balloonist and inventor Charles Leroux, who died during a balloon jump over the water in 1896.
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Editor: Annika Remmel, Aili Vahtla
