Tallinn of vice
· Vanalinn
The Old Sauna at Rüütli 22
Rüütli 22 has been called an executioner’s house, although its old bathhouse history offers a firmer point of departure.
The labels attached to Rüütli 22 can mislead visitors. The name executioner’s house suggests a dark story, while accounts of an old bathhouse offer a different historical layer. A nickname alone does not establish that the town executioner lived or worked in this particular building. A bathhouse was part of everyday urban infrastructure, combining washing, heating and social contact. The contrast between the ordinary use and the ominous name is itself revealing.
Practical information
Address: Rüütli 22
View the facade at Rüütli 22 from the street. Do not treat the executioner’s house label as proof of its former use.