Tallinn, part XIII - Patarei Merekindlus (Soviet Sea fortress) - inside (ii), and Toompea

Toompea

Patarei Merekindlus

In my last entry, I was on the outside, looking in; now I am inside, looking out, but thankfully for me, this is not a permanent state.

It began to drizzle ever so slightly when I entered the Patarei grounds. I was informed, by an irritable middle-aged woman sitting in a dilapidated booth that barely qualifies as a ticket vendor, that I had to pay 10 euros (or something like that) to enter. Yeah, thanks but no thanks, I said. Bad vibes.

From Noblessner

I need to get out of here, and fast. What was it I said to someone earlier today? I always get what I want. I always get what I want, whether through fair means or foul, and I know what I want.

Lunch at Lido, and I think we've established by now that I am bad at taking foodies.

The rule of thumb whenever you're out and about, is to climb staircases whenever you see them, and to open doors and go through archways and follow the paths. Especially if you don't know where they'll lead you.

Tallinn, part X - Patarei Merekindlus (Soviet Sea fortress) (i)

I woke up in the morning and decided to go to the Patarei because I hadn't been, yet.

Rather detailed intro on the Patarei:

In 1828 Nicholas I of Russia mandated the building of the sea fortress of Patarei in Tallinn to protect the sailing route to St. Petersburg, the capital of the Russian empire. It was completed in 1840. Over the years it has had different functions. In 1867 the complex functioned as military barracks and from 1919 until 2004 as a prison. Today it gives a glimpse of Soviet-era prison life in all its dreariness. Visitors can explore the hallways to see cells, work areas, medical rooms, execution rooms, exercise yards etc. Up to 2000 prisoners were normally detained in Patarei, but top of occupancy was reached with about 4600. Many people were murdered here in the Soviets period. In the execution room the KGB agents just shoot the condemned prisoners in the back of the head, when they knelt on the floor with the head against the wall. Many psychic experiments on the inmates of the prison were carried out in a special Psychic experiment room. In the subsequent period of the Republic of Estonia, parts of the fortress were used as the basis for constructing Estonia’s own coastal and sea defense. Since the restoration of independence, practically no parts of the fortress have been used for any military purposes, and they are waiting for a new civilian life. (source)

As for me, what did I find? I found that the Baltic sun shone brightly and the bay of Tallinn was resplendent in its early morning splendour. The sea was a wonderful shade of deep blue, and the morning sunshine glinted off the waves with little sparkling crystals of gold. It was quiet, save for the sound of the wind and the rippling waves of the sea. I was the only person within view, which was slightly unsettling. For all of the serene beauty of the Baltic shoreline, there was something eerie about the place. I paced slowly, and I was enamoured, but I could not shake the feeling of desolation and despair - an ominous sense that something heavy and dark lay just beneath the surface.

More to come.

Imagine being locked up, and having to gaze upon this sea each day, every day, this sea that perpetrates the illusion of freedom when one couldn't be farther from the truth. I wonder how many inmates went crazy within these walls. I suppose we'll never know.

Tallinn, part IX - Solaris Keskus & Lido, and Estonian Maritime Museum

I asked Nate, who'd visited a few years prior, if he could recommend any good restaurants here - 'and budget priced please, I'm not very well off -' and he suggested Lido.

So I walked there, and it looked straightforward enough on the map, ten minutes walk from the hostel right outside the Old Town it said on Google Maps. It still took me a good twenty minutes of walking and searching to actually get there.

I rather liked Lido, and ended up having lots of meals here, because as much as I liked elk soup and wurst and cucumbers, it was a bit monotonous, eating that day in and day out. All the potatoes you could imagine, and for under 3 euros. A serving larger than my face.

I found a table to myself, which was easy as there were loads of empty tables, and sat down to eat my potatoes and creamed and braised chops, and read Cursed Child.

Estonian Maritime Museum

Lido - yes please sauerkraut and potatoes

Lido.