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, 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

Põhja

Põhja (Põhja)

North, northern, northerly. Also noord or nord among sailors. See Kirde. Formerly known as Troonipärija (or ‘heir apparent’, given the corresponding street-naming change around 1906, presumably the hemophiliac Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich, born 1904). The ‘Ilmarine’ machine works was at no. 21. See also Põhjakaare.

Põdrasambla

Põdrasambla (Põdrasammal)

Elk moss, better known as Icelandic moss, Cetraria islandica, and not a moss but a lichen. Common in Estonia, but not in Tallinn – streetname dropped due to planning changes. See Käokõrva.

Põdra

Põdra (Põder)

Moose, elk, Alces alces, native to Estonia. One of Pääskula’s woodland mammal group. See Rebase.

Ussimäe

Ussimäe (Ussimägi)

Snake Hill, name of an ancient stronghold on the northern coast of Estonia, close to Kunda (site of hunting and fishing settlements dating back to 6500 BCE, and cement works to 1870). Snakes – Estonians are a little hazy here: if it’s long and wiggly (pulease...) it’s an uss, so that includes snakes and worms. If they want to be really nice, they specify the soggier version by calling it vihmauss or rain worm. See Mäe for discussion, where the sense of secure location seems to be most apposite.

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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.

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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.