Streetsign reading "Tallinn Streets dot com" Header

Work in progress

A pile of ro ad signs half-trashed and piled up on a building-site, to indicate the site is in construction.

Website under construction, a couple of entries still pending, no photos with the streets yet, layout not finalized...

This started with a book (last few pages under review) and so far 1889 of the 1891 articles entered, 1 or 2 links may go nowhere.

Logo of the Tallinn Children's Hospital Foundation

The Book

All author earnings of A Rambling Dictionary of Tallinn Street Names to be donated to the foundation or donate here.

If anyone could help or advise as to the legal mechanism, it would be appreciated, thanks!

The Website

Not intended at the beginning, the present website is taking on a life of its own, with plans for relevant discussion forums, picture galleries and, over time, more non-streetname entries.

In theory, it will be funded by advertising relevant to people in Tallinn, to be determined.

A percentage of profits (also to be determined) to be donated to the foundation. 

Contact

Photograph of Simon Hamilton in Pikk street, Tallinn.

Apparently, a company that uses its owner's name is considered more trustworthy because they put themselves on the line.

This is me, in Tallinn this spring (2025), on a 3-month spree to check details, take photos (about 12K), explore (ave. 15K/day), and so on. I think I covered every street in Kesklinn (apart from Mõigu), most of Põhja-Tallinn and some Kristiine.

For information, please contact Simon at this address dot com, thanks!

Names

Hiiumetsa (Hiiumets)

Hiiu* woods. A road built for light traffic, in other words a two-way bicycle lane, see Harkumetsa, renamed as Kitsarööpa in 2014

* See footnote to Hiiu-Maleva.

Hinke torn (0) Symbol designating a Point of Interest.

Hinke Tower, various interpretations all along the same lines: said to be named after a 14th‑C municipal servant (linnateener , see Teenri), lackey, footman, valet, etc., and/or tallipoeg, lit. stable-boy (but the poeg probably refers more to subservient status than age) called Hinke or Hindrik who lived near the wall (Hinken hus by der muren). See also Kiek in de Kök.

Hipodroomi (Hipodroom)

Hippodrome, or racetrack, to which – had they ever got round to tarmacing it – it would have been near. The last race was held in 2022, 99 years after its opening, and the property will be redeveloped as commercial and domestic real-estate.

Hirve (Hirv)

Deer, stag, hart. Native to Estonia is the punahirv, red deer, Cervus elaphus. Previously (-1925) Tramvai, a nice Anglo-Germanicism for tramway. One of Pääskula’s woodland mammal group. See Ilvese.

Hõbeda (Hõbe)

Silver. A metallic neighborhood of Tallinn... See also Pronksi.

Hõbekuuse (Hõbekuusk)

Silver spruce. Picea pungens f. argentea, cultivar of the blue colorado spruce, Picea pungens f. glauca.

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Your business, store or consultancy next to your street address and a percentage of your fee (to be determined) goes the the Children's Hospital fund.

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Post your favorite local photo and sponsor the foundation. Your entire sponsorship goes go the the Children's Hospital fund

Wanted!

Beautiful photos of your street or Tallinn! Send them in! No remuneration planned for now, but will be attributed according to your preferences.