Old Thomas

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Old Thomas (Estonian: Vana Toomas) is one of the symbols and guardian of the city Tallinn, the capital of Estonia.^[1] A weather vane, the figure of an old warrior called Old Thomas was put on top of the spire of the Tallinn's Town Hall in 1530. According to the legend, the real life model for the weather vane was a peasant boy who excelled at the springtime parrot shooting contests involving firing crossbow bolts at a painted wooden bird on top of a pole, organized by Tallinn's Baltic German elite at the time. Unable to receive a prize owing due to his low-born status, Toomas was rewarded with the job of town guard for life.^[2] Subsequently immortalized in copper, Toomas continues to watch over Tallinn and its citizens. In 1944 Old Thomas was hit at the time of the March bombardment. The burnt spire was reconstructed and a new copy of Old Thomas erected in 1952. In 1996 the spire was renovated and the third Old Thomas figure was put to guard Tallinn.^[3] The original weather vane is kept in the Town Hall. The one erected in 1952 is shown at the Tallinn City Museum.

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