War and destruction
· Kalamaja
Linnahall
Built for the 1980 Olympics, Linnahall is a vast concrete landscape between Tallinn’s centre and the sea.
Linnahall was completed as Tallinn hosted the sailing events of the Moscow Olympics. The complex combined a large performance venue, public terraces and a Soviet-era vision of the waterfront. Its scale differs radically from the nearby Old Town: the building almost extends the ground, inviting people to read it as a square. Closures and maintenance needs now shape the experience. The site speaks both of an ambitious future once imagined and the difficult question of how to use its legacy.
Practical information
Address: Mere pst 20
View Linnahall at Kalasadama 4 only from areas currently open to the public. Access to the building and steps may change for safety reasons.