Colorful Historic Buildings In Old Town Tallinn, Estonia Royalty-Free Stock Photo

The origins of Tallinn date back to the 13th century, when a castle was built there by the crusading knights of the Teutonic Order. It developed as a major centre of the Hanseatic League, and its wealth is demonstrated by the opulence of the public buildings the churches in particular and the domestic architecture of the merchants` houses, which have survived to a remarkable degree despite the ravages of fire and war in the intervening centuries.