tallinn 7 july - 4 - linnahall

So this was a huge surprise to me and gave me a much different sense of Tallinn/Estonia than I had previously. I am embarrassed to say that I didn't do much research before I got here - I could have, although I was rushed off my feet before I left Australia - but I just wanted to let it come to me. So Franziska suggested going to the Linnahall and I didn't have a clue what it was but she and Steve assured me I would be into it and I was into it. 

You might not be able to read the English text. It says ''Opened in the summer of 1980, Linnahall is one of the most significant buildings in Estonia's architectural history. For decades, it served as a venue for major domestic and international events. Monumental yet low in volume, the building blends gently into the surrounding landscape. Its form evokes associations with ancient ziggurats and pyramids, Japanese architecture, and bastions of Tallinn's Old Town. Linnahall has become an important landmark and a symbolic link between the city centre and the sea.

'The building's character is exemplified by its symmetrical volumes and stairways ascending towards the sky. Arcades of varying sizes soften the otherwise strict geometric form. The low structure on the city side houses an ice hall that originally seated 3,000 spectators, Above it, a spacious rooftop square leads visitors to the entrances of the concert hall. A harbour railways once ran beneath the square - today, a tramline follows the same route. 

'At Linnahall's centre is a unique amphitheatre-style concert hall with a capacity of 4,3000. The hall is surrounded by an expansive audience area, with cafe and bars distributed across various floors and levels, two low wings face the sea, having formerly housed a smaller exhibition and concert hall and a bowling alley. Inside, the building's natural [????] is complemented by details in sea green and blue [???].

'Linnahall was built as a venue for cultural and sporting events. At the time of its opening, it featured state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems, as well as an analogue recording studio - still operational today - where a signifcant amount of Estonian popular music has been recorded. Over the years, many internationally renowned artists have performed at Linnahall, including The Prodigy, Lou Reed, a-ha, Scorpions and Philip Glass. In addition to concerts and sports competitions, the venue hosted popular school and Christmas fairs, flower shows, political events and more. The ice hall also served as a site for other kinds of events - for instance dance competitions were held there. In the summer of 2019, scenes from American director Christopher Nolan's film Tenet were shot at Linnahall.

'Linnahall was closed in 2019. Over the decades, its surroundings have changed significantly, with the former industrial landscape and wasteland gradually giving way to a multifunctional urban environment. Linnahall was added to the national register of cultural monuments in 1997. Numerous plans for its renovation and reconstruction have been drawn up, but none have yet been realised.'