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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, many entries missing, no photos with the streets yet, layout not finalized...

This started with a book (last few pages under review) and so far 1814 of the 1884 articles (A to Z, with 50-odd Ts remaining) entered so far, so some 5% of the links 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!

Home

Suur-Ameerika

Suur-Ameerika (Suur-Ameerika)

Greater/Upper America. First recorded in 1877 as Große Amerikastraße after local inn called Wirt(h)shaus America (the ‘h’ is Kivi’s) on the corner of this street and Pärnu. However, a look at the 1880s Neuer Plan der Gouvernements Stadt Reval (detail below) reveals a numbe of details: 1) the Bierbrauerei (brewery) located at the SW end of Tõnismägi; 2) a side street between Antonis Berg (today’s Tõnismägi) and Amerikastraße (today’s Suur-Ameerika) which the 1922 Topograafia Jaoskkonna Tallinna Linna Plaan identifies as Õllepruuli; and 3) the then Suur-Ameerika (which now connects with Liivalaia, ±100 m further south) veered NE at about the same point as today’s Õllepruuli starts. This created the 4-street crossroads of Suur-Ameerika, Õllepruuli, Antonis Berg (now Tõnismägi) and Pärnu, so the Wirtshaus America and Bierbrauerei may well have been one and the same. What the map does not show is the possible location of one Tallinn’s hukkamisrattad (lit. killing-wheels, for breaking or impaling), not far from the main site of execution (see Vana-Veerenni).Main street in a set of 3, including Kesk-Ameerika and Väike-Ameerika, later spawning Uue Maailma. Renamed (1950-1991) as Komsomoli during the Soviet occupation.

Detail from map of 1880s Tallinn showing Suur-Ameerika tänav and Pärnu maantee along with the 'Bierbrauerei' (brewery) which maybe the 'Wirthaus America' (America Inn) of records.

Detail from map of 1880s Tallinn showing Suur-Ameerika tänav and Pärnu maantee along with the Bierbrauerei (brewery) which may be the Wirthaus America (America Inn) of records.

Close-up detail from map of 1880s Tallinn highlighting the Suur-Ameerika tänav, Antonis berg (today Tõnismãgi) and Pärnu maantee crossroads with the 'Bierbrauerei' (brewery) in the middle.

Close-up detail from map of 1880s Tallinn highlighting the Suur-Ameerika tänav, Antonis berg and Pärnu maantee crossroads with the Bierbrauerei (brewery) in the middle.

Close-up details of the 1922 Tallinn map 'Topograafia Jaoskkonna Tallinna Linna Plaan' naming 'Õllepruuli' street at the 'Suur-Ameerika', 'Tõnismägi', 'Pärnu maantee' crossroads.

Close-up details of the 1922 Tallinn map Topograafia Jaoskkonna Tallinna Linna Plaan naming Õllepruuli street at the Suur-Ameerika, Tõnismägi and Pärnu maantee crossroads.

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Wanted!

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