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!

Home

Kolhoosi (Kolhoos)

Kolkhoz, contraction of коллективное хозяйство (kollektivnoje hozjaistvo, collective ownership) or collective farm. Euphemism for USSR bankruptcy. Soviet occupation renaming (1950-1990) of Gildi.

Komsomoli (Komsomol)

Youth wing of the Soviet Union Communist Party: the Communist Union of Youth. Well over half of today’s adult Russian population is believed to have once been a member (which might explain a thing or two…). See also Pioneeride. Soviet occupation renaming (1950-1991) of Suur-Ameerika.

Hobuveski (0)

Not a street, but the one-time horse-powered mill at the end of Lai. Hobu is short for and/or a stylistic version of hobune:hobuse, horse (see Hobujaama). Possibly shortened here for simpler pronunciation. See Veski.

Jaani Seek (0) Symbol designating a Point of Interest.

St-John’s Hospice/Almshouse (and later leprosarium), now best known for its church (Jaani seegi kirik, now the Armenian church of Grigor the Illuminator) on the corner of Tornimäe and Rävala and museum on Väike-Pääsukese. Known in Latin as domus fratrum leprosorum sancti Johannis, and in MLG as sankt Johannis sekenhus) from MLG sēk, sek, seek, seec, seeck, seik, zeyk, seck, sīk, and certainly others, related to Eng. ‘sick’. Why German switched to krank is anyone’s guess. First mentioned (1237) by Wilhelm / William of Sabina (and Modena), papal legate to popes Honorius III and Gregory IX, who tried to ensure Estonia belonged to Rome, and to whom Henry of Latvia, author of the Livonian Chronicle, was assigned as interpreter (1225-1227).

Page 156 of 473

Advertise...

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.

Sponsorship logo top bare

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.