Kaubamaja (Kaubamaja)

Department store, lit. ‘purchase house’. Renamed (?-1991), along with Rävala (1950-1991), as Lenini during the Soviet occupation.

Gonsiori

(Jakob Johann Gonsior, 1794-1865)

19^th‑C Tallinn alderman and lawyer, mayor and/or senator of Tallinn from 1828-1865, orphanage founder and funder. Renamed (1950-1991) as Lomonossovi M. during the Soviet occupation. Formerly (1920) split into Greater- and Lesser-Gonsiori. He lived at Mündi 2 (another one-time candidate for being called Gonsiori), It has been suggested that the name comes from Polish gąsior, for gander (the letter ą is nasalised and pronounced ‘an’, a bit like Portuguese -ão compared to Spanish -an, as in, e.g. bread: pão and pan). For information, Poland controlled Southern Estonia from 1559 to 1629.

Estonia (Estonia)

Named in 1923 after the Estonia theatre and concert hall, built 1911-13. According to TT, known previously as Peters-Promenade (Peter’s Promenade), Vene turu promenaad (Russian-Market Promenade, but see Viru väljak), Promenaad (Promenade), Der Ring/Ringstraße (Ring Road, or part of it, along with Mere puiestee and others but don’t ask which), Gogoli puiestee (Gogol avenue), Karjavärava puiestee (Cattle gate avenue), Vabaduse puiestee (Freedom avenue), Viruvärava puiestee (Viru gate avenue), and perhaps many, many others. No.11 was the Estonian Red Card HQ. After two of them, non‑Communist footballers would be sent off to Siberia.