Photo: Scotch Mist, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Soviet Tallinn: the KGB floor and Linnahall
Your local guide
Kadri Tamm
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Highlights
- The secret KGB floor, described outside Hotel Viru
- Listening equipment found after independence
- The concrete mass of Linnahall by the sea
- The Singing Revolution of 1988
- Memories of daily life in Soviet Estonia
About this tour
This session covers Soviet-era Tallinn, from the secret KGB floor at Hotel Viru to the concrete Linnahall by the sea and the Singing Revolution of 1988. The camera stays outside the hotel and beside the building, since the museum floor itself is not filmed, while the guide explains what was found there after independence. Personal memories of daily life under Soviet rule run through the whole session.
The call opens with a short sound check, then moves between the sites stop by stop, with time for questions about this period of history. A short list of the sites and further reading follows by message once the call ends.
This suits anyone interested in Cold War or Soviet history, whether planning a visit to Tallinn or simply curious from home. It also suits anyone who remembers this period and wants to hear how Estonians experienced it.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 7 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Tallinn before heading out.
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Hotel Viru exterior 21 min
Outside Hotel Viru, the guide describes the secret KGB floor once hidden at the top, sealed off and unknown to most guests until it was discovered after independence, and explains the listening equipment found inside.
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Linnahall by the sea 21 min
Down by the sea, the concrete mass of Linnahall was built for the 1980 Olympic sailing events and has sat largely unused since, and the guide explains why locals still argue about what to do with it.
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Singing Revolution stories 21 min
The guide shares memories of daily life in Soviet Estonia and the Singing Revolution of 1988, when mass singing gatherings became a form of peaceful protest against Soviet rule.
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Your questions 14 min
Time to ask anything about Tallinn: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 6 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Verivorst blood sausage and Telliskivi, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Tallinn time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 12 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Tallinn, showing you St Olaf's Church and City Walls and Towers live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I walk Tallinn live with my phone and you ask anything as we go.
Times shown in Tallinn time (EET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Tue 27 Oct · 12 seats left From 24,00 €
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