Rotermann Quarter, Harbour and Viru Square
NARVA MAANTEE, VIRU GATE

Rotermann Quarter (Rotermann Kvartal) is a modern, but historical neighbourhood in central Tallinn, between Viru Square (Viru väljak) and the Harbour. Here you can find restored and redeveloped industrial buildings plus new office buildings, all with significant architecture. It got its name from the Rotermann Factories, founded by Christian Abraham Rotermann in 1829. The redevelopment begun in the early 2000s. Viru Square is the large park/square that is situated between Viru street in the old town, where you find the Viru Gate, to Hotel Viru, a highrise hotel from the USSR period where you also can find a bus terminal and a shopping complex. In Rotermann Quarter you can also find the Soviet Life exhibition summertime, to visit the page about it, click here. The large Coca-Cola Plaza cinema complex and Bally's casino can also be found here.

I didn't visit the harbour (Tallinna Sadam), but was close to it. It is the largest passanger and cargo harbour in Estonia. This is where you can take the large and famous ferries to Sweden and Finland.


ROTERMANN QUARTER (ROTERMANN KVARTAL):


Laudsepatöökoda / Carpentry Workshop, a transformed industrial building by Raivo Kotov.

Laudsepatöökoda. Many old factories have been transformed into residential and office buildings.

  


Laudsepatöökoda

Laudsepatöökoda. On this building three 4-storey glass with diagonal shapes have been added on top of the roof.

Uus Jahuveski / New Flour Storage Building. Now a modern cubistic residential building

  


Uus Jahuveski

Uus Jahuveski

White, black and red buildings

  


Must Maja / Black Building

White, black and red buildings

Valge Maja / White Building

  


New meets old

Must Maja / Black Building

 
Skyline seen from Rotermann  

 

    

 
Oranz Maja / Orange Bldg (right)  

 

    

 
   

Oranz Maja (fisheye effect)

   R10 (left), the newest building (2013)

 
   

 

   New residential buildings

 
Rotermann Quarter, old part  

 

   One of the still rough sides

Foorumi keskus (Forum Center) at Narva Mantee road

  


Coca-Cola Plaza cinema complex

Bally's City Casino, owned by Bally's a famous Las Vegas company

 

VIRU SQUARE (VIRU VÄLJAK) - MODERN PART, NARVA MAANTEE:

Sokos Hotel Viru and the busy traffic circle of Viru Square. The hotel opened in 1972, then USSR, and was the first highrise in Estonia, with 23 floors, and other 500 rooms. During the Soviet era, the top floor housed a KGB centre, spying on the guests. It was found in 1994, and today it is a KGB museum.

  


The calm park in Viru Square

Sex club with Swedes and Finnish flags. Avoid!

Metro Plaza Hotel at Viru Square was designed by the famous Estonian architect Raivo Kotov.

  


Metro Plaza (left) and Nordic Forum Hotel (right) at Viru Square

Metro Plaza Hotel at Viru Square

Postmodern building at Narva maantee

  


Viru Center; shopping center, bus terminal, Katuse cinema and huge female sculpture


Vintage American car passing by Hotel Viru

 

VIRU SQUARE - OLD PART, VIRU GATE:

Viru Gate, the Eastern gate to the Old Town, and Hotel Viru. The gate was built in the 14th century and was originally part of the wall.

  


Viru street from Viru Square. One of few McDonald's.

Viru street and Old Town

 
Flower market on the wall, Viru street  

Nighclub and Viru Gate, Viru street

   Ambers shop, Viru street

 

PORT OF TALLINN - FERRY HARBOUR:

A lot of large ferries tours Tallinn's harbour, most of them to Finland and Sweden. I didn't visit the harbour personally (if you don't count the Rotermann Quarter to the harbour), but I took some photos from afar.

The ferry harbour seen from Toompea Hill. In the background you can see the TV tower, the tallest in the Baltics (312m to the spire) and a "commie block" suburb.

  


The ferry harbour seen from Kadriorg beach.

Harbour, coastline and ferry

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