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.

Viru värav (Viru)

Earliest records give this as leimporte (1359), Lemporte (1366) or porta argillae (1379), all meaning clay gate (see Kopli for discussion of possible related implications), evolving to old Est. wirro wärraw (1732) and, later, Нарвскія or Глиняные ворота (Narvskíya or Glinyanyye vorota), Narva or Clay Gate. Hmm.

Suurgildi (Suurgild)

Square, not street. Merchants’ guild (lit. big guild). Named in 1989 after the Suurgild building at Pikk 17.

Vanalinn (0)

Old Town. Oldest part of the Kesklinn and Sub-district (Asum), divided according to source into 4 Wards (Allasum, pl. Allasumid): All-linn and Toompea, along with the rather nebulous Tallinna linnamüür (Tallinn City Wall) and Tallinna muldkindlustusvöönd (earthwork entrenchment zone). The result of which is an awkward situation where a number of streets (from Aia to Uus) belong to none of the Wards. While they may well be listed under ‘Vanalinn’, the asymmetric Ward organization irritates the neurodivergent who walk among us. I have therefore decided to create a new Ward which I shall call ‘Kolmas Linn’ and will include all Vanalinn streets, squares, belvederes, etc., that are neither Toompea nor All-linn. Tallinn Linnavalitsus, please take note. See Uuslinn.