St. Olav’s Church

Introduction

St. Olav's Church (Estonian: Oleviste kirik) stands in Tallinn's Old Town and is the city's most striking surviving medieval landmark. Its origins go back to the 12th century, with the first written record in 1267; it was extensively rebuilt in the 14th century, and the form seen today largely dates from 1438-1519. What makes it famous is the spire: raised to roughly 159 m around 1500, it was the tallest building in the world from 1549 to 1625 - surpassing England's Lincoln Cathedral before being overtaken by St. Mary's in Stralsund - and it still stands 123.7 m today. The height was practical rather than devotional: ships approaching Tallinn on the Baltic needed a landmark visible from the open sea, so the tower functioned as a maritime beacon. The price was repeated lightning strikes - hit at least eight times since 1549 - and three separate fires that destroyed the building, including the 1625 blaze that melted the copper and lead roofs. Between 1944 and 1991 the Soviet KGB seized the spire as a radio and surveillance tower, which explains the metal lattice still crowning it. Note that this is not a cathedral - Tallinn cathedral is St. Mary’s Cathedral. Oleviste is today an active Baptist church, and its tower viewing deck is open to the public from April to November, offering the best panorama over the red roofs of the Old Town.

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