Kalamaja

Kalamaja
Subdistrict of Tallinn
Typical wooden apartment buildings in Kalamaja.
Kalamaja within Põhja-Tallinn.
Country	Estonia
County	Harju County
City	Tallinn
District	Põhja-Tallinn
Population (01.06.2011[1])
• Total	8,254

Kalamaja (Estonian for Fish House; German: Fischermay) is a subdistrict of the district of Põhja-Tallinn (Northern Tallinn) in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. It's located just northwest of the historical town centre, on the coast of the Tallinn Bay. Kalamaja has a population of 8,254 (As of 1 June 2011 (2011-06-01)).^[1]

Kalamaja is mostly notable as one of the best preserved wooden architecture areas in Tallinn, and Estonia. The quiet neighbourhood has long been known for its colourful hodgepodge of old fashioned, working class houses.

Throughout most of Tallinn's history Kalamaja served as the city's main fishing harbour. Starting from the 14th century the area was traditionally dominated by fishermen, fishmongers and boat wrights. A new era began in 1870, when Tallinn was connected to Saint Petersburg by railroad. The Tallinn railway station (Balti jaam), was built between Kalamaja and the city centre. Suddenly enormous factories started to sprout up in this part of town, and they brought with them an influx of thousands of new workers. The wooden houses, which have become Kalamaja's architectural legacy, were built to accommodate these workers.^[2]

Most of the Kalamaja's main sightseeings are located on the coast of Kalamaja. In 2011 a former railway embankment was converted into a walking trail called "Culture Kilometre" (Kultuurikilomeeter). The walk-way starts next to the Tallinn harbour passes the Creative Hub (Kultuurikatel), continues past the historic Patarei Prison and Sea Fortress, the region's biggest sea centre Seaplane Harbour (Lennusadam) and ends at the end of Kalamaja park on Tööstuse street.^[3]

Kalamaja cemetery

Kalamaja was the location of the oldest cemetery in Tallinn, known as Kalamaja cemetery (Estonian: Kalamaja kalmistu, German: Fischermay Kirchhof) which was founded in the 15th or 16th century.^[4] The cemetery was flattened in 1964,^[4] during the second occupation of the Baltic states, by Soviet authorities who used the area of Kalamaja as a base for the Soviet Armed Forces.^[5]

Gallery

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  Former Patarei Prison

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  Seaplane hangars from 1916–1917, part of Peter the Great's Naval Fortress, now housing the Estonian Maritime Museum.

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  A sauna building in Kalamaja.

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  The baptist prayer-house on Kalju street.

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  A gate-belltower on the Kalamaja cemetery.

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  Newer apartment buildings in the Ilmarise quarter near the Old town.

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See also

• Kalamaja cemetery
• Patarei Prison
• Linnahall
• Tallinn Power Plant
• Estonia Piano Factory

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kalamaja.

• Image of a late 19th or early 20th century map showing the district of Kalamaja and the area of the cemetery
• Discovering Tallinn Fish Market
• Kalamaja blog (Estonian)
• Patarei Prison - Culture Park

References

Coordinates: 59°26′49″N 24°43′52″E / 59.446981°N 24.730981°E / 59.446981; 24.730981

	Karjamaa	Tallinn Bay	Tallinn Bay
	Pelgulinn		Sadama (Passenger Port)
	Kalamaja
	Pelgulinn	Kelmiküla (Balti jaam)	Vanalinn (Old Town)

v t e Administrative districts (linnaosad) and subdistricts (asumid) of Tallinn Haabersti Astangu Haabersti Kakumäe Mäeküla Mustjõe Õismäe Pikaliiva Rocca al Mare Tiskre Väike-Õismäe Veskimetsa Vismeistri Kesklinn Aegna Juhkentali Kadriorg Kassisaba Keldrimäe Kitseküla Kompassi Luite Maakri Mõigu Raua Sadama Sibulaküla Südalinn Tatari Tõnismäe Torupilli Ülemistejärve Uus Maailm Vanalinn Veerenni Kristiine Järve Lilleküla Tondi Lasnamäe Katleri Kurepõllu Kuristiku Laagna Loopealse Mustakivi Pae Paevälja Priisle Seli Sikupilli Sõjamäe Tondiraba Ülemiste Uuslinn Väo Mustamäe Kadaka Mustamäe Sääse Siili Nõmme Hiiu Kivimäe Laagri Liiva Männiku Nõmme Pääsküla Rahumäe Raudalu Vana-Mustamäe Pirita Iru Kloostrimetsa Kose Laiaküla Lepiku Maarjamäe Mähe Merivälja Pirita Põhja-Tallinn Kalamaja Karjamaa Kelmiküla Kopli Merimetsa Paljassaare Pelgulinn Pelguranna Sitsi

v t e Tallinn landmarks Buildings and structures Toompea Castle Town Hall Old Thomas Kiek in de Kök St Mary's Cathedral St. Olaf's church St. Nicholas' Church Church of the Holy Ghost Alexander Nevsky Cathedral Saint Catherine's Monastery Town Hall Pharmacy Great Guild Pikk Hermann tower Knighthood House Stenbock House Kadriorg Palace Pirita Monastery Glehn Castle (Tallinn Observatory) Maarjamäe Manor TV Tower Linnahall Patarei Sea Fortress-Prison Independence War Victory Column Bronze Soldier Charles Leroux Monument Russalka Memorial Raekoja plats Walls of Tallinn Precincts Historic Centre (Toompea Hill) Kadriorg Kalamaja Nature and parks Tallinn Zoo Tallinn Botanic Garden Lake Ülemiste Lake Harku Pirita River Aegna island Kopli cemetery Kalamaja cemetery Metsakalmistu cemetery Beaches Pirita Beach Stroomi Beach Kakumäe Beach Harku Beach Pikakari Beach Cultural institutions Estonia Theatre Kumu (Art Museum of Estonia main branch) Mikkel Museum National Library of Estonia Song Festival Grounds Estonian Open Air Museum (Kolu kõrts) Estonian Maritime Museum (Seaplane Harbour) Science and education Tallinn University Tallinn University of Technology Estonian Academy of Arts Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre Estonian Academy of Security Sciences Estonian Maritime Academy Tallinn University of Applied Sciences Estonian Business School Estonian Academy of Sciences Sports Pirita Yachting Centre A. Le Coq Arena Kadriorg Stadium Kalevi Keskstaadion Saku Suurhall Arena Kalevi Spordihall Pirita Velodrome Mustamäe Ski Jumping Hill Tallinn Hippodrome Pirita-Kose-Kloostrimetsa Circuit Transportation Port of Tallinn Tallinn Passenger Port Muuga Cargo Port Paljassaare Harbour Bekker Port Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport Copterline Railway station Tallinn Bus Station City Tram and Trolleybus City Bus