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Linnahall

Coordinates: 59°26′48″N 24°45′10″E / 59.44667°N 24.75278°E / 59.44667; 24.75278
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Linnahall
View of venue seen from the sea (2020)
Map
Interactive map of Linnahall
Full name
Tallinna Linnahall (Tallinn City Hall)
Former names
V. I. Lenin Palace of Culture and Sport (1980-91)
AddressSadama 1, 10111
Tallinn
Estonia
LocationKalamaja
OwnerTallinn City Government
OperatorTallinna Linnahalli Aktsiaselts
Capacity4,200
Construction
Groundbreaking1975
Opened19 July 1980 (1980-07-19)
ArchitectRiina Altmäe, Raine Karp
Website
Official website Edit this at Wikidata

Linnahall (Estonian: Tallinna Linnahall, lit. 'Tallinn City Hall'; originally the V. I. Lenin Palace of Culture and Sports) is a semi-abandoned multipurpose venue in Tallinn, Estonia. It is located in the harbor, just beyond the walls of the Old Town, and was completed in 1980. The venue also features a heliport and a small seaport.

It is not to be confused with the primary administrative building of the historical municipal government (Raad) of Tallinn, often referred to as the Town Hall.

The abandoned concert hall in Linnahall 2025

History

[edit]

The 1980 Summer Olympics were hosted in Moscow. As inland Moscow had no suitable venue at which to stage the sailing event, this task fell to Tallinn, the capital of the then Estonian SSR.[1] Apart from the main venue for the sailing event, Pirita Yachting Centre, a number of other sports and entertainment facilities were erected,[2] among them the V. I. Lenin Palace of Culture and Sport.[3] It was designed by architects Raine Karp and Riina Altmäe.[4]

Before the Palace was built, the site had been home to the "Kukermiit" concrete factory (1946-1958), a shipyard, warehouses and small workshops.[5] Until 1970 parts of the site had also been used by the military. The city's chief architect Dmitri Bruns was allotted the entire area to construct a cultural building, and in 1975 these buildings began to be demolished.[6]

The venue had 540 employees when it opened. The first event to be held at the site was a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Estonian SSR. At some point, people began to call the building "Linnahall", a name which became official in 1991.[6][7]

The construction of Linnahall completely changed daily life in Tallinn.[8] Concerts held at the venue were considered major events in the city.[9] At the ice rink, aside from ice hockey matches, fashion shows were held along with various sporting events and rock concerts; it was also open for public skating.[6]

According to Estonian architect Margit Mutso, the complex had been poorly contructed, despite its artistic accomplishments. Initially the stage had also been intended to spin, but this was never implemented. Despite this, its location within the city, its inventive structure, unique architecture and interior design made it famous not only across the Soviet Union, but around the world.[10][11]

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the complex began to be used in other ways. A recording studio was opened, along with professional sound equipment and stage lighting shops. The nightclub "Lucky Luke" (later renamed to "Poseidon") and a café called "Nord Café" were also opened. Inside the complex, markets for clothes and industrial goods were organised.[7][12]

The ice rink closed in 2009, followed by the concert hall in 2010. The city sought investors for the complex from 2009 to 2015, to either renovate the complex or demolish it and build something in its stead. In 2015 the city council decided to renovate Linnahall, although the project did not come to fruition as deadlines were too tight and the city were unwilling to invest enough money into the project.[13][14]

In 1999 a helipad was installed at Linnahall, named the Tallinn Linnahall Heliport. A small ferry dock was also installed at the complex, which was operated by Linda Line Shipping until the company was dissolved on 2nd May 2019.[15]

From June to July 2019, the location served as a stand-in for a Kyiv opera house during the filming of the feature film Tenet.[16]

An inspection on 6th September 2017 declared that the complex was in bad physical condition.[6] In November 2023, Tallinn's mayor Mihhail Kõlvart revealed new plans to develop the Linnahall site and its surrounding area. Although not explicitly stating whether the plans would involve knocking the complex down, Kõlvart admitted that "the more time passes, the more unrealistic the prospect of renovating Linnahall becomes", citing that investors are not interested in the building itself and that it is not possible to restore it to perfect condition in any case.[17] These plans stalled, however, due to Kõlvart not sharing them with deputy mayor Madle Lippus and the director-general of Estonia's Heritage Board, which oversees Linnahall's protected status as a registered cultural monument.[18]

As of 2023, occasional exhibitions[19] and tours[20] still take place at Linnahall.

Ice Hall

[edit]
Linnahalli Jäähall
Map
Interactive map of Linnahalli Jäähall
LocationKalamaja, Tallinn, Estonia
OwnerTallinn
Capacity3,000
Construction
Opened1981
Closed2009
ArchitectRiina Altmäe, Raine Karp

Heliport

[edit]
Linnahall Heliport
Summary
Airport typePrivate
ServesTallinn
LocationTallinn, Estonia
Elevation AMSL17 ft / 5 m
Coordinates59°26′53″N 024°45′12″E / 59.44806°N 24.75333°E / 59.44806; 24.75333
Map
EECL is located in Estonia
EECL
EECL
Location in Estonia
Helipads
Number Length Surface
m ft
1 8 26 Concrete
Sources: Estonian AIP[21]

Linnahall Heliport (ICAO: EECL), is a heliport at the Linnahall in Tallinn, Estonia. It was used by Copterline for its flights to Helsinki Hernesaari Heliport in Helsinki, Finland. It is the only publicly used heliport in Estonia.

In 2005 a helicopter bound for Helsinki from the helipad lost power and fell into the Gulf of Finland. Regular helicopter flights to Helsinki continued until 2012, run by the Finnish company Copterline.[22]

Noted performers

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[edit]
  • Linnahall from the city
    Linnahall from the city
  • Linnahall looking towards Tallinn
    Linnahall looking towards Tallinn
  • Fast ferries docked at Linnahall
    Fast ferries docked at Linnahall
  • Linnahall viewed from the west
    Linnahall viewed from the west

References

[edit]
  1. ^ 1980 Summer Olympics Official Report from the Organizing Committee Archived 2006-06-22 at the Wayback Machine, vol. 2, p. 243
  2. ^ (in Russian) Tallinn is the Olympic Capital Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Estonia: the remarkable afterlife of the Linnahall concert hall, by Andres Kurg
  4. ^ Estonian Centre for Architecture. "Linnahall". estonianarchitecture.com. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
  5. ^ "Таллиннский Горхолл — как создавали уникальное сооружение и его славная история, которая закончилась, увы, плачевно | STENA.ee". www.stena.ee. Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d "#SOSBrutalism". #SOSBRUTALISM. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
  7. ^ a b "Tallinna Linnahall". TripToEstonia (in Estonian).
  8. ^ "Как создавался и где сейчас находится знаменитый занавес Горхолла". Rus.Postimees.ee (in Russian). 4 December 2021. Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  9. ^ Musto, Margit. "Что делать с Горхоллом?" [What to do with Linnahall?]. err.ee (in Russian). Retrieved 7 May 2026.
  10. ^ Kultuurimälestiste register. "8781 Tallinna Linnahall, 1980-1981". register.muinas.ee (in Estonian). Retrieved 7 May 2026.
  11. ^ ""Если Горхолл решат сносить, я первой выйду на баррикады": таллиннский гид проводит уникальные экскурсии. Ностальгия обеспечена!". Turist (in Russian). Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  12. ^ "Arhitekt Must" (21 September 2019). "Linnahalli merepoolsesse ossa tuleks ehitada bassein!". Eesti Ekspress (in Estonian).
  13. ^ ERR (17 April 2015). "Cabinet could turn Linnahall into convention center". ERR. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
  14. ^ ERR, Shameema Binte Rahman | (17 May 2023). "Linnahall – What is to be done?". ERR. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
  15. ^ "Linda Line Shipping OÜ". e-Äriregister (in Estonian).
  16. ^ "Christopher Nolan's Tenet Begins Rehearsals As Cast Arrives In Estonia; Check Out Early Set Photos". Appocalypse. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  17. ^ "VISANDID JA KAART ⟩ Tallinna merevisioon kuulutab linnahallile kadu". Postimees (in Estonian). 2 November 2023. Archived from the original on 7 October 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
  18. ^ "Kõlvart arutas linnahalli tulevikku kitsas ringis: plaanist ei teadnud isegi linnaplaneerimise abilinnapea". Majandus (in Estonian). 7 November 2023. Archived from the original on 17 June 2025. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
  19. ^ ERR (8 August 2023). "ФОТО: в Таллиннском горхолле открылась выставка "переменность"". ERR (in Russian). Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  20. ^ Эстонский aрхитектурный центр. "Экскурсия за закрытыми дверями Горхолла (на русском языке)". Fienta (in Russian). Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  21. ^ "eAIP Estonia". Estonian Air Navigation Services (ANS). Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  22. ^ "Катастрофа унесла жизни 14 человек и саму авиакомпанию". Rus.Postimees.ee (in Russian). 10 August 2020. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
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59°26′48″N 24°45′10″E / 59.44667°N 24.75278°E / 59.44667; 24.75278

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