Tallinn - Kompassi, CBD

Kompassi
HOTELS, SKYSCRAPERS, RESIDENTIAL BLOCKS AND SHOPPING MALLS

Kompassi is the modern neighbourhood and business area in Kesklinn (city center) that is situated right next to the Old Town. But once you get outside the wall, you will see modern highrise towers and skyscrapers in glass and steel, many of them constructed in recent years. Some of the tallest ones are hotel buildings, such as Radisson and Swissôtel, or banks, most of them Swedish. You can also find 4 large shopping centers and department stores in the area (Solaris, Stockmann, Kaubamaja and Viru). So this is basically the central area where the Tallinners live, work and shop while the old town is more concentrated for tourists, even though you can find the national opera, the concert hall, casinos and nightclubs there as well. The neighbourhood also borders the large ferry harbour and the modern Rotermann Quarter. Kompassi consists just of a couple of block, but the skyscrapers can be seen from afar. There is also a quiet neighbourhood in the area that is consisting mainly of grey lowrise residential buildings and a few old buildings, where my small hotel was.

KOMPASSI, CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT:

Rävala puiestee goes right through the cental business district in Kompassi. This photo was taken in the morning and it was a bit cloudy, but the sun started to shine just a few minutes later.

Swissôtel Tallinn (left) is Estonia's tallest highrise building (tough there is a church, a mast and a TV tower that is taller). The hotel building was completed in 2007, is 113m tall and has 27 floors. The building to the right is Tornimäe (only 113m, but 31 floors). They are both part of the Kaksitorn complex.

Radisson Blu Hotel Tallinn. This shiny postmodern hotel building was completed in 2001. It is the 3rd tallest building in Estonia.


Radisson Blu Hotel		Radisson Blu Hotel		Radisson Blu Hotel and Rävala pst.


Rävala puiestee		Rävala puiestee		Rävala puiestee


City Plaza from 2004 (78m, 23 floors)		Maakri Maja and Nordea Maja		Casino GrandPrix


City Plaza seen from Rävala puiestee		Nokia Concert Hall		Teatri Väljak

SEB Pank. This glass building with diagonal shapes is actually hosting a Swedish bank, SEB. Actually most banks in the Baltics are Swedish. The building was completed in 1999 and was the first highrise built since 1980, starting a new era of tall buildings. Today it is only the 4th tallest (94m, 24 floors).

SEB Pank

SHOPPING CENTERS:


Kaubamaja department store		Solaris Shopping Center and Nokia Concert Hall		Solaris Shopping Center was built in 2007 after the Soviet area Sakala centre was torn down.


Stockmann department store		Stockmann department store		Stockmann department store

Kaksiktorn Complex seen from Rävala puiestee

Hotel Olümpia and old rooftops

Mirror


Kompassi new highrises		Kompassi new highrises		Church/nighclub


Strange angles (SEB Bank left)		Kompassi office building		Stockmann and orthodox church

A. LAIKMAA STREET:

Tallink Hotel and Spa. A huge female sculpture is placed in front of the glass facade.

Tallink Hotel

Tallink Hotel and Viru bus terminal

Skyline of City Plaza, SEB and Radisson seen from A.Laikmaa street at sunset. From this angle the city almost has an American look.

A.Laikmaa street with Coca-Cola Plaza theater complex, Hotel Tallink (right) and the beginning of Rotermann Quarter.

LIIVALAIA STREET:


Orthodox church, Liivalaia/Rävala		Nordea Maja, also a Swedish bank		Nordea Maja

Nordea Maja, Stockmann and Maakri Maja

Contrast: Wooden house and glass tower

Contrast: Wooden church and Hotel Olümpia

Radisson Hotel Olümpia. This modern skyscraper hotel in glass, steele and concrete was built in 1980 in what then was Soviet. It has 28 floors and was Tallinn's tallest highrise upon completion (today 5th). The building was a landmark for me when looking for direction of my, much smaller hotel.

The busy Liivalaia street with Hotel Olümpia and wooden houses

Hotel Olümpia

Residential highrise in glass, Liivalaia/Kentmanni streets


Soorikukohvik café on Kentmanni was my regular café during my stay, recognize the logo?		Soorikukohvik café		Sakala street


Residential highrise in glass		Another glass building u/c		Theater NO99, Sakala street

Sunset skyline and the busy Liivalaia street, right outside Hotel Olümpia upon arrival.

SEB Pank and Swissôtel

Radisson and SEB seen from street Rävala puiestee

ESTONIAN PUIESTEE:

The Estonian National Opera, a opera house and concert hall, is situated between the old and the new part, between Viru Square and Freedom Square, at Estonia puiestee. Since it was heavily damaged in 1944, the exterior was changed from jugend to Stalinist classical style, it reopened in 1947.

Sokos Hotel Viru. 60 of the rooms and the restaurant in the hotel was bugged during the Soviet period. There was also a KGB centre on the 23rd floor, today a museum.

Hotel Viru and National Opera

My first view of Tallinn from the bus terminal, arriving from Riga at sunset

This ICA truck is a funny thing to discover for a Swede: it has Swedish text on the sides, but Estonian license plates.

Hotel Olümpia and a futuristic Statoil gas station


A new residential building Kaupmehe street		Kaupmehe, the quiet street where my hotel was. Close to both the old town and the modern business district.		Kaupmehe Guesthouse, one of several wooden houses. Very cheap and simple