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Kanuti (Kanut)
Confusion in the Danish House of Knut (Canute). Canute’s Guild, Kanuti Gild, was a Hanseatic merchant guild involving the more complex crafts: mainly goldsmiths, watchmakers, milliners, but also bakers, shoemakers and painters. First recorded 1326, probably founded 13th C, disbanded 1920. Name comes from Knut Lavard (1090ish-1131), Duke of Schleswig and sovereign over the Western Wends, canonized 1171, feast day January 7, the day on which he was assassinated. Knut Lavard was nephew of Knut IV (1043ish-1086), aka Canute the Saint / the Holy, great-nephew of Knut the Great (985ish-1035). Knut IV’s official Catholic feast-day is January 19, but celebrated on January 13 in Estonia, Sweden and Finland, apparently for his decreeing that Christmas last 20 days. Since both were saints, both were nephews of a King Knud, both had feast days in January, confusion seems inevitable. Some of the more fervent Estonians still celebrate Canute’s day, Nuudipäev, (any date ranging from January 13 to January 7) by drinking. Both street and park/garden, see Kanuti Aed.
Kanuti aed (Kanut)
Canute’s garden (see Kanuti). On or by a one-time moat until 19th C. Land leased to Kanuti Gild (Canute’s guild) in 1866 to create a public garden. Used by travelling circuses and evolving into an amusement part. Next door too to the Grand Marina cinema, built 1913, destroyed 1944. For collateral damage, see WW Passaaž.
Aida (Ait)
Outbuilding, storehouse, granary, after the granaries dating back to the 17th C at least. See, for example, the one converted into the present-day Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design on the corner of Lai, or the Olde Hansa on Vana Turg. Prior to this, known as Speichergasse or ‑straße [Ger.] or Амбарный пер, etc. [Ru.] (warehouse/barn alley), Kleine Klosterstraße (Lesser Convent St) until sometime around the 18th C and at one time simply põiktänav kloostri müüri ääres (± ‘side road running along the cloister walls’, in TT but not KNAB).
Apteegi (Apteek)
Chemist’s, pharmacy, apothecary’s. Named after Tallinn’s oldest, the nearby Raeapteegi mentioned as far back as 1422. Apteegi as street name was first given in municipal records of 1611 as Apoteker Gasse, with later (1614) marginalia alters die Lütke Schröder Strasse (formerly the Little Tailor’s street). Prior to this (1389), the street was known/described as parva platea sartorum, qua itur de foro ad monachos (little road of the ‘tailors’ [see below], which goes from the market to the monks, i.e., today, to Vene), and before that (1368) platea monachorum, road of the monks, these being the Dominican Friars (see Dominiiklaste). Note on tailors... the Latin sartor indicates someone who repairs, and stitching wounds to Saville Row is as far as barbers to surgeons (cf. the red and white spiraled barber’s pole: red for blood-letting and white for bandages). So the street probably specialized in buttons and bones, leeches and breeches. Makes you glad to live in the 21st‑C.
