Toompea Castle and Pikk Hermann Tower

Toompea Castle stands on the limestone hill above Tallinn's Lower Town at Lossi plats 1a, in Harju County, Estonia. The site has been a seat of power since the Danish and later Teutonic Order fortress was established in the 13th century, and today the castle houses the Riigikogu, Estonia's parliament. The visible building is a striking mix: a pink Baroque palace front built in the 1770s for Catherine the Great sits against the older medieval walls and towers. At the southwest corner rises Pikk Hermann (Tall Hermann), a 45.6-metre tower from the 14th century on which the Estonian national tricolour is raised each morning at sunrise, a ritual of national symbolism since independence. Visitors typically see the castle from Lossi plats, the square in front, where the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral faces the parliament building, and from the walls and the approach lanes of Pikk jalg and Lühike jalg. The exterior and square are open daily without charge. Parliament interior visits are possible only on pre-booked guided tours arranged through the Riigikogu website. A stop here usually lasts 30 to 60 minutes, and it fits naturally with the nearby Kohtuotsa viewing platform and the cathedral. The best photo angles are from the square looking at the pink facade with Pikk Hermann at the corner, and from the lower lane of Lühike jalg looking up at the wall. Crowds build from around 11:00 as tour groups arrive from the port and the Lower Town, so mornings are quieter. The ascent from the Lower Town is steep and cobbled, and vehicles cannot reach the upper square.