Streetsign reading "Tallinn Streets dot com" Header

Work in progress

A pile of ro ad signs half-trashed and piled up on a building-site, to indicate the site is in construction.

Website under construction, a couple of entries still pending, no photos with the streets yet, layout not finalized...

This started with a book (last few pages under review) and so far 1889 of the 1891 articles entered, 1 or 2 links may go nowhere.

Logo of the Tallinn Children's Hospital Foundation

The Book

All author earnings of A Rambling Dictionary of Tallinn Street Names to be donated to the foundation or donate here.

If anyone could help or advise as to the legal mechanism, it would be appreciated, thanks!

The Website

Not intended at the beginning, the present website is taking on a life of its own, with plans for relevant discussion forums, picture galleries and, over time, more non-streetname entries.

In theory, it will be funded by advertising relevant to people in Tallinn, to be determined.

A percentage of profits (also to be determined) to be donated to the foundation. 

Contact

Photograph of Simon Hamilton in Pikk street, Tallinn.

Apparently, a company that uses its owner's name is considered more trustworthy because they put themselves on the line.

This is me, in Tallinn this spring (2025), on a 3-month spree to check details, take photos (about 12K), explore (ave. 15K/day), and so on. I think I covered every street in Kesklinn (apart from Mõigu), most of Põhja-Tallinn and some Kristiine.

For information, please contact Simon at this address dot com, thanks!

Names

Topi (Topp)

Top, masthead. Street near Purje and Regati.

Tormi (Torm)

Storm. Close enough to the sea to make sense!

Torn Vana Vene Kiriku Juures (0)

Lit. ‘Tower near (or next to) the old Russian church’, located close to the old city walls (obv.) at or about the N end of Sulevimägi, roughly here: ///merchant.donation.revives, some 40 m SE of Oleviste church.

Torni (Torn)

1) Tower, steeple, turret; 2) Rook (castle) in chess. Same reasons as Tähetorni.

Tornide (Tornid [pl.])

Towers, plural of Torn. Following the 1857-1864 leveling of various earthworks, it became known as Näituse Väljak or Ausstellungspl. (exhibition place), for its agricultural shows. Today a park SE of Rannamäe.

Tornimäe (Tornimägi)

Although it means Tower Hill, there’s neither one nor tother in sight. Apparently named after a certain Adam Tornimäe (or Adam X from Tornimäe in Saaremaa), a worker who rented a property from Jaani Seek, St John’s Almshouse, in the early 17th C, long enough for it to become known as Tornimäe Maja (house). In the 19th C, Tornimäe was also the place to go for autopsies. See Mäe for discussion.

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Advertise...

Your business, store or consultancy next to your street address and a percentage of your fee (to be determined) goes the the Children's Hospital fund.

Sponsorship logo top bare

Post your favorite local photo and sponsor the foundation. Your entire sponsorship goes go the the Children's Hospital fund

Wanted!

Beautiful photos of your street or Tallinn! Send them in! No remuneration planned for now, but will be attributed according to your preferences.