Puhavaimu 2
Tel. 644 1487
Bus: 5, 40 Trolley: 1, 2, 3, 4
Open: May- Sept 9am- 5pm Mon- Sat
Oct- Apr 10am- 3pm Mon- Sat
www.eelk.ee/tallinna
The Church of the Holy Spirit (Estonian: Pühavaimu kirik or Puhavaimu
kirik, German: Heiliggeistkirche) is a medieval Lutheran church in
Tallinn’s Old Town (Vanalinn), located at Pühavaimu 2, just behind
Raekoja plats (Town Hall Square), opposite the Great Guild Hall and near
Maiasmokk café.
It is one of Tallinn’s oldest churches and a
significant cultural and religious landmark, particularly for Estonian
national identity due to its early role in Estonian-language worship.
Early Origins (13th Century)
Construction likely began in the
first half of the 13th century, possibly as a chapel attached to a
larger almshouse (poorhouse/hospital) complex run by the city
magistrate. The church was dedicated to the Holy Spirit, a common
dedication for institutions caring for the sick, poor, and disabled.
It is first mentioned in written sources in 1319. The oldest part is the
choir; the nave (aisle) was added in the late 13th or early 14th
century. The church does not face due east (a typical Christian
orientation), suggesting it was built in an already developed urban area
and had to conform to existing streets and the almshouse layout.
Originally Catholic, it served mainly commoners and residents of the
almshouse rather than the German-speaking elite, who used grander
churches like St. Nicholas or St. Olaf. There were entrances from both
the street (north side) and the almshouse yard (south side).
14th-Century Expansion and Gothic Features
Major upgrades occurred
around 1360: the original wooden ceiling was replaced with vaulting, a
tower was added, and large Gothic windows were installed. The church was
largely completed by around 1380.
It is a hall church in Gothic style
with a two-aisled nave and an asymmetrically placed choir to the north.
The exterior is plain whitewashed with crow-stepped gables and
relatively few but large Gothic windows with fine stonework. The
distinctive octagonal tower received its Renaissance spire in 1630
(later reconstructed after fires).
Reformation and Estonian
Cultural Milestone (16th Century)
The church played a pivotal role
during the Protestant Reformation. It became the first church in Tallinn
(and Estonia) to hold regular services in the Estonian language,
starting in 1531.
Its pastor, Johann Koell, published a catechism in
Estonian in 1535 (in collaboration with Simon Wanradt), considered one
of the earliest printed texts in the Estonian language. This was a
landmark for Estonian literacy and cultural development.
The
chronicler Balthasar Russow (1536–1600), author of a key chronicle of
Livonian history, also served as a pastor here.
Interior Art and
Furnishings (15th–17th Centuries)
The church’s rich wooden interior
contrasts with its simple exterior:
Main Altar (1483): Created by the
renowned Lübeck artist Bernt Notke (or Berndt Notke). The central panel
depicts the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles at Pentecost. It
remains one of the church’s greatest treasures.
Pulpit (1597): A
suspended, elaborately carved wooden pulpit, one of the oldest in
Estonia.
Galleries: Added and decorated in the mid-17th century with
painted biblical scenes by various artists.
Clock (late 17th
century): A finely carved wooden clock on the façade by Christian
Ackermann, one of Tallinn’s oldest public timepieces. It has an azure
(blue) face.
Bells: Three bells in the tower. The oldest was cast in
Tallinn in 1594; the largest in Lohja (Finland) in 1624. One damaged
bell from an earlier period is displayed inside.
The interior
features carved wooden pews, galleries, and a warm, detailed wooden
character typical of Baltic Lutheran churches.
Later History and
Challenges (17th–20th Centuries)
Fires and Reconstructions: The tower
was damaged by fire in 1684 (and again in 2002) and subsequently
rebuilt.
19th Century: As Estonian national consciousness grew after
the abolition of serfdom, the church saw shifts in congregation. A new
Estonian congregation was formally established in 1877. The building was
temporarily less used when some members moved to other churches like St.
John’s.
20th Century: The current organ dates from 1929 (by August
Terkmann). A plaque commemorates British sailors lost in the Baltic
campaign (1918–1919). During Soviet occupation, the congregation
suffered heavy losses (about 75% in 1941–1944 due to war, flight, and
deportations). In 1950, it was merged with another congregation.
Activity revived in the 1980s with repairs and youth work.
Modern
Era and Significance
Today, it remains an active parish of the
Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church (EELK). It holds services in
Estonian, English, Russian, Latvian, and sign language. Organ music
hours occur regularly.
The church is open to visitors (small entrance
fee, free with Tallinn Card) and is a protected cultural heritage
monument (designated 1995). Its stained-glass windows are mostly late
20th-century additions.
Architectural and Cultural Legacy: The Church
of the Holy Spirit represents layers of Tallinn’s history — from
medieval Hanseatic trade and Catholic charity, through the Reformation
and linguistic awakening of the Estonian people, to survival under
multiple occupations. Its modest yet richly detailed interior and
prominent location make it a beloved symbol of both medieval Tallinn and
Estonian cultural resilience.
Overall Style and Type
It is a Gothic hall church (a common
northern European form where the nave and aisles are roughly the same
height). The style is restrained Hanseatic Gothic, reflecting the
practical, trade-oriented aesthetic of the Baltic region rather than the
soaring heights of French or German cathedrals.
Construction began in
the first half of the 13th century (possibly as a chapel for an adjacent
almshouse), with major Gothic rebuilding in the mid-to-late 14th
century. It was largely completed by around 1380–early 15th century. The
church does not face due east, likely due to the constraints of the
already built-up urban site near Town Hall Square (Raekoja plats).
Exterior Architecture
The church presents a plain, whitewashed
exterior (lime plaster typical of the region) that blends modestly with
the surrounding medieval buildings. Key features include:
Crow-stepped gables on the shorter east and west end walls, supporting a
long pitched (gable) roof — a classic northern Gothic element.
Octagonal (polygonal) tower integrated into the west end of the nave
(added by 1433 at the latest). It features a reconstructed
Renaissance/Baroque spire with a dome-like form, added in the 17th
century (1630) and rebuilt after fires in 1684 and 2002. The tower
reaches about 53 meters in height.
Gothic windows: Relatively large,
pointed-arch, mostly three-light windows (splayed on both sides) with
fine stone tracery (ogival, trefoil, and quatrefoil motifs). The chancel
has smaller windows, while the eastern wall of the southern aisle has a
unique four-light window with richer tracery (doubled trefoils and
eight-petal rosettes). A smaller single-light trefoil window survives
from an earlier phase.
Famous clock: On the north façade (near the
main entrance), Tallinn’s oldest public timepiece, a colorful, finely
carved Baroque clock by master Christian Ackermann (late 17th century,
ca. 1684). It remains mechanically functional.
Portals: The main
northern entrance has a stepped Gothic portal with a moulded archivolt
and pointed arch. A simpler southern portal once connected to the
almshouse yard.
The building is embedded in the tight urban
fabric, with a modern sacristy addition near the chancel.
Interior Layout and Structure
The interior is notably asymmetrical
due to site constraints:
Nave: Strongly elongated rectangle,
internally about 36.3 m long × 13.1 m wide, divided into two aisles and
five bays.
Chancel (choir): A smaller four-sided (rectangular) space,
9.2 m × 7.2 m, placed asymmetrically to the north of the eastern end of
the nave. This offset placement is unusual and results from limited
space during 14th-century expansion. It is raised by three steps and
connected by an unmoulded arcade.
Vaulting: In the 1360s, the
original flat wooden ceiling was replaced with ribless groin vaults
supported by wide arch bands on four square pillars and wall corbels.
The chancel has a single-bay groin vault on corner corbels. The vaults
are relatively low and create an intimate, hall-like space.
Galleries: Later (post-Reformation) wooden side galleries were added for
Protestant services, increasing capacity and featuring rich 17th-century
painted Biblical scenes.
The interior emphasizes warm wooden elements
(galleries, pews, furnishings) against white walls, giving it a bright
yet cozy medieval-Protestant character.
Key Interior Features and
Artifacts
Main Altar (1483): A late-Gothic winged (cabinet) altar by
the renowned Lübeck master Bernt Notke. The central panel depicts the
Descent of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost) on the Apostles. It is one of the
church’s greatest treasures.
Pulpit: Suspended wooden pulpit from
1597, one of the oldest in Estonia, richly carved.
Other elements:
Painted Biblical scenes on galleries (mid-17th century), a 1929 organ,
medieval bells (including one from 1433), and modern stained-glass
windows (late 20th century).
Historical and Functional Context
Originally tied to an almshouse for the poor and sick, it served as a
“town hall chapel” and the most egalitarian church in medieval Tallinn.
After the Reformation (1524), it became a key Lutheran center and the
first in Estonia to hold services in Estonian (with the first Estonian
book, a catechism, linked to its pastor in 1535).
The architecture
reflects pragmatic adaptation to urban constraints while maintaining
high-quality Gothic detailing in windows, portals, and vaults. Its
modest exterior belies a warm, richly furnished interior that perfectly
embodies Tallinn’s Hanseatic heritage.