Accesibility

Description of the Tallinn TV Tower

 TV Tower is shaped like a UFO, with a sharp-tipped round spire running through its centre. The tower consists of a 190-metre-high reinforced concrete shaft, topped by a 124-meter-high steel antenna. The diameter of the base of the tower’s shaft is 15.2 metres and the wall thickness is half a metre. The tower weighs 25,000 tons. The 2.5-meter-thick foundation slab is located 8.5 metres deep. The centre of gravity of TV Tower is at its base, making it impossible for the tower to topple over, even if the foundation slab were at ground level.

Thanks to its unique silhouette, Tallinn TV Tower has its own identity. The upper structure of the tower is supported by 16 concrete struts, giving the tower its distinctive shape. While the top of the Berlin TV Tower is spherical, Ostankino’s is cylindrical and Vilnius’s is bowl-shaped, Tallinn TV Tower is said to be shaped like a martini glass. However, it is possible that the chief architect, David Bassiladze, took inspiration from Old Thomas’s hat.

Standing in front of the TV Tower, you can see ten pairs of porthole-like windows from four directions up to half the height of the lower part of the tower. Up to the UFO-shaped expansion of the tower, there are another four round single windows in line. In the expanded part of the TV Tower, on the 21st floor, there is an exhibition area, and one floor above is a café, restaurant and observation deck, accessible directly from the café. The observation deck is at a height of 175 metres.

On top of the expanded part of the tower, there are various dish-shaped receivers and devices. Higher up is the tower’s red-and-white striped spire, consisting of interlinked segments. There are also metal structures for lifting cargo, four wheel-shaped platforms with spokes and a large number of small antennas.

Having moved up the ramp, it is possible to make a loop around the tower on a roughly 2-metre-wide balcony edged with a parapet. The first two floors of the tower are wider than the main tower by the width of the balcony. The tower is surrounded by tall, vertically rectangular windows supported by the inner wall of the second floor. Above the balcony runs a black roof with an upward flaring edge, to which some spotlights are attached.

Behind the TV Tower are single-story technical buildings. Through the windows at the back of the tower, a strong metal-coloured frame is visible, to which a stained glass in the hall is attached.

On the right-hand outdoor area, next to the main entrance ramp, there is also a children’s playground. A slightly arched tiled path runs past them. Most of the remaining area is covered with grass.

Territory of the TV Tower. Monument description

Tallinn TV Tower is located in a naturally beautiful area surrounded by lush greenery and stands 314 metres tall. Its height allows it to be seen from afar.

The territory at Kloostrimetsa tee 58a is enclosed by a mesh fence with three entrances. All directions described below are given while facing the TV Tower.

The entrance on the right side is closed. The mesh fence along Kloostrimetsa tee has gates at the right and left corners. Vehicles can enter through the right gate. The other gate, marked with a no-entry sign, is for exiting or for pedestrians.

For pedestrians

Immediately after entering through the right gate, there is a zebra crossing that leads across the entrance road to the left. The end of the asphalt is marked by two rows of tactile paving tiles. Walking about three metres along the two-metre-wide path, you reach a path that turns right between two approximately three-metre-wide rectangular grass patches. The grass is edged with curbstones. Turning right between the grass patches, there is a straight, occasionally uneven path made of slabs, leading towards the TV Tower. It feels as though you could walk directly to the top of the tower. The path is about 40 metres long. Continuing along the path, there are a total of four grass patches, two on each side of the path. Nine oak trees grow on these patches. The grass is divided into four equal patches by an asphalt path running perpendicular to the main path. The grass patches are bordered by curbstones on all sides. Flowerbeds with various colourful flowers blooming at different times are situated among the oaks.

Monument description

At the end of the path on the left is a grey upright natural stone designed by sculptor Tauno Kangro, set on a horizontal stone base. In the centre of the stone, a grey plaque with black engraved text reads: “Here they stood for freedom” and in smaller letters “Defence of the TV Tower, August 20, 1991”. The stone was installed by the Tallinn City Government in 2005.

Below the plaque, black carved figures of people holding hands are etched into the stone, representing the defenders of the TV Tower. Next to the stone on the right is a small metal information plaque with additional explanatory text.

On either side of the stone, at the end of the grass patches, grow some barberry bushes with reddish leaves.

Crosswalks

To the right of the grass and the monument complex is a taxi stand and to the left is a car park. Vehicles enter from the right gate, drive around the monument to the left, and park in the parking lot. The road is asphalted. Two crosswalks lead across the road.

The first crosswalk is an extension of the main path, directly crossing the entrance road next to the monument stone. In front of the TV Tower is an eight-meter-wide paved area bordered by curbstones. From there, a ramp begins, leading to the second floor of the TV Tower, where the ticket offices are located.

The second crosswalk starts on the left and leads to the tunnel entrance on the first floor. Next to its tower-side end on the left is a blue-painted parking space for vehicles for the disabled. There are also sturdy signposts, a traffic sign and an electric post with high-mounted lights. The distance between the two crosswalks is 20 steps.

TV Tower entrances

There are three entrances for visitors.

1. Main entrance

The main entrance is in the middle, located on the 2nd floor, accessible via a ramp. After crossing the road on the pedestrian path from the grassy area to the paved area, there is a row of nine one-meter diameter domes with wooden covers. These are similar to those along the path leading towards the tower. On both sides, there are previously mentioned trash cans. From there, a nearly sixty-meter incline begins, leading directly to the main entrance of the TV Tower along the ramp.

The ramp narrows towards the top. It is 31 steps wide at the bottom and 6 steps (about 3 meters) wide at the top. The ramp is divided by a row of low, round black lights embedded in the ground. The right side of the ramp is secured by a transparent wall and a metal handrail. However, halfway towards the tower, there is a narrow rectangular gap in the ground, about twenty centimeters wide, running perpendicular to the direction of movement.

The entrance glass door has a sign: “Entrance to the TV Tower” and the left window has a yellow round informative sticker with opening hours and prohibitory signs. While generally, dogs and drinks are not allowed, guide dogs are permitted.

The left side of the ramp is bordered by the glass wall of the adjacent gallery.

2. Entrance through the first floor gallery

To the left of the ramp is a tunnel, which serves as the second and in winter the only entrance to the TV Tower. The tunnel is rectangular and open. Trash cans are on both sides of the entrance with a mailbox on the left.

The entire left wall of the tunnel is covered with black and white photos depicting the history of the TV Tower’s construction from 1975 to 1980. The right wall of the tunnel is glass, running parallel to the inclined wall with the ramp.

At the end of the wall, through openings, visitors can pose as two skydivers who jumped from the tower. Children can use a step behind the picture to reach the skydiver’s face.

The tunnel’s end wall has a revolving door, leading to a waiting room. A few steps to the right is the shop. There is no door in between. The information desk with a staff member is on the left wall of the shop. To buy a ticket, turn left, passing close to the desk because the shop displays are on the right side throughout the shop. Go through the shop and ascend the spiral staircase in the rear right corner to the second floor. You can always ask experience guides for elevator use. They will open the door leading to the elevator, located straight through the corridor after the shop, at the back wall. The corridor leading to the door has handrails attached to both walls. The distance between the elevator and the door is 3 meters. In the evening the 22nd-floor restaurant is accessible directly by elevator from the first floor.

On the left before the corridor is the TV room, where visitors can play the TV reporters. To start playing, select START on the touchscreen and the recording will begin. In the studio, visitors can read any text as news. To end the recording, press STOP and the recorded news can be sent to a desired email address.

On the right at the beginning of the corridor, there are lockers on the right side and an accessible toilet on the left. In the accessible toilet, the sink is on the right and the toilet is directly 2 metres away.

3. Entrance from under the ramp

The door under the ramp on the right, adjacent to the tower wall, also leads to the shop. This door is useful for exiting the TV Tower after visiting the exhibits because the elevator takes visitors directly from the 21st floor to the first floor. Outside this door, there is a bike parking area and three flagpoles with waving flags. The middle flag is the blue-black-white Estonian flag.

When moving around the TV Tower, pay attention to the metal door sills present on most doors. The doors open by pushing but generally close automatically unless secured in the open position by staff.

Restrooms at TV Tower

Restrooms are available for visitors on the first, second and twenty-first floors of the TV Tower. Directions are provided as they appear upon entering each room.

1. First floor restrooms at the beginning of the corridor leading to the elevator, on the right.

To the right of this corridor is another corridor with lockers on the right and an accessible restroom six steps on the left. Switch is outside next to the door on the left. A plug socket is at the base of the wall. The door with a handle opens outward, with a slight incline at the entrance. Inside, the sink is on the right, 1 metre away, and the toilet is straight ahead, 2 metres away. To the left behind the toilet hangs an emergency cord to summon staff if needed. The flush button is on top of the tank. The toilet paper roll is under the right-hand rail. A brush is beside the toilet on the right. To the left of the sink, the wall-mounted soap dispenser and paper towel holder are adjacent, with a trash bin beneath them. The soap dispenser is activated by pressing a panel at the front. The sink faucet operates with a lever. On the left wall, there is a fold-out baby changing table. Hooks are by the door.

2. Second floor restrooms in the left corner of the lobby.

The door is dark with yellow figurines on the light panel. The door opens with a handle, the door has a metal threshold. Entering, in the narrow corridor behind the door, there are four round sinks on the right, with a mirrored wall above them. The faucets with sensors are straight out from the wall with soap containers between the faucets. Behind the sinks, on the partition wall, there is a hand dryer and a trash bin below it. Two stalls are ten steps away in the wider area of the room, each with a metal threshold. In a regular stall, the toilet is straight ahead with a round paper holder on the right. Flush by pressing a panel on the back wall.

Accessible stall, to the right before the stalls.

The corridor has an incline. The door opens with a handle, the door has a metal threshold. Inside, the sink is on the opposite wall with a mirror above. The faucet has a lever. To the left of the sink are a soap dispenser and a paper towel holder with a trash bin beneath them. The toilet is on the left, perpendicular to the entrance, two steps away. The toilet paper roll is under the right-hand rail. The flush button is on the tank. An emergency cord hangs to the left behind the toilet with a fold-out baby changing table beside it. Two hooks and a switch are next to the door on the left. Three more regular stalls are to the left of the accessible stall.

3. 21st floor restrooms, ten steps to the right after exiting the elevator.

The restroom is circular, made of white, sturdy material with a dark door. A round trash bin is to the left of the door. The door with a handle opens towards the elevator. To the left are four round sinks with a mirrored wall behind them. Faucets with sensors extend straight out from the wall with soap containers between them. The soap is dispensed by pressing a button at the front bottom of the container. To the right of the sinks, on the perpendicular wall, is a hand dryer with a closed door beside it. The paper towel holder and a square, open-top trash bin are around the corner to the right. Four regular stalls are straight ahead, seven steps away. Each stall has a round paper holder on the left, a lidded trash bin beneath it and a brush behind the trash bin. The flush panel is on the back wall.

Accessible stall to the right, diagonal to the regular stalls.

The toilet is perpendicular on the left and the sink is on the right, two steps apart. An emergency cord hangs on the right behind the toilet with a brush beside it. The toilet paper holder is in the middle of the back wall. The sink is opposite the toilet with a lever-operated faucet, a soap dispenser to the left and a paper towel holder to the right. An open-top trash bin is beneath the paper towel holder. A door to the baby changing room is to the right of the main door.

Smoking is prohibited in all restrooms.

Lobby

The lobby of the TV Tower features light grey walls and a floor adorned with grey tiles speckled with white stars, each measuring over a metre in length and half a metre in width. Smaller tiles, measuring 20×20 cm, follow the circular shape of the tower and alternate between light grey and light blue. These tiles bear the initials of the builders in printed letters with degree markings indicating cardinal directions on the inner side. The interior design of the TV Tower was conceived in a cosmic theme.

The ceiling of the lobby is light blue, adorned with numerous hemispherical white lights. Positioned on both sides of the entrance door are humanoid figures, at least a metre in height, made of white luminous material connected to the power grid via wires. One stands on the left, while four smaller ones hang upside down from the ceiling on the right.

Moving clockwise from the entrance door, there is a round table on the left with informational brochures, followed by three large covered round seating areas arranged in succession. Wide window sills are also present.

The doors in the TV Tower are either dark or transparent. On the left wall is a dark door with a yellow figurine panel. Inside is a restroom, where upon entering, narrow corridors lead to sinks and sensor-operated faucets with soap containers above. The stalls are located in the wider area behind.

To the right of the entrance door, there is a potted plant.

Towards the left of the opposite wall’s centre, there is a light grey oval-shaped elongated table resembling a spaceship console with two workstations. On the outer side of the table are two hemispherical recesses at each end. Behind the attendant, a television screen displays ongoing information about visitation prices and other details. Three white aliens also hang upside down from the ceiling in this area.

Directly behind two consecutive doors begins the exhibition area of the TV Tower. The first door is surrounded by a light blue wall with informative yellow circular signs on the left wall. To the right of the entrance, a hibiscus plant grows in a large white pot. Adjacent to the flower, on the opposite wall, is a transparent plaque displaying an illustration and floor plan of the TV Tower along with explanatory notes.

Another door is located on the right wall, with three large triangular seats in front of it. From the right corner of the foyer, a staircase with glass balustrades and metal handrails descends to the first floor.

Entering through the glass doors on the second floor

Upon entering through the first glass door opposite the main entrance, there is an office space on the left between two doors, while on the right, there is the workspace of the telecommunications company Levira. After passing through the second door, there is another office space on the right, along with a fire extinguisher and a trash can.

Elevator. Compass Rose. Description

Facing the entrance, there are elevators. Two lifts transport visitors to the 21st floor with assistance from the information desk attendant allowing access to the 22nd floor.

Adorning the floor tiles in front of the elevators is a simple yet elegant compass rose, approximately one metre in diameter. A spider-web-like pattern with eight golden-toned branches is centred on a large square tile. Surrounding it on all sides is an inscription: “TV Tower was built 1975-1980.” In one corner is the letter “N,” indicating the north direction.

The buttons to call the elevator are on the wall between the two lifts. Above the elevator is a screen displaying the number of people inside. Inside the lift, there are floor selection buttons on the right, a mirror the width of the elevator and directly below it, a handrail. The display board shows the lift’s speed, height and travel time. Separate access is provided for technical personnel in the tower.

The elevator at the centre of the tower is surrounded by a corridor approximately two metres wide. Its walls and ceiling are black, adorned with yellow rainbow-shaped dotted lines. Doors on the left side of the corridor lead to office spaces with a grey rotary phone mounted on the wall beside the first door.

Eti. Description

To the right of the elevators, on the wall, is a mural featuring Eti, the mascot of the TV Tower. Eti encourages children to move forward, engage in puzzles and play. Eti is a green character with an oval-shaped head tilted to the side, topped with pointed red eyes. The letters “ETI” adorn its chest. Above Eti are yellow circular panels depicting a magnifying glass and glasses, directing towards the history exhibition on one side of the corridor and a cinema on the other side, past the elevator.

Children’s play area

On the left wall of the right corridor branch is the children’s play area, while on the right wall is a comprehensive exhibition detailing the history of the TV Tower. The distance between the two walls is approximately two metres.

On the children’s wall, kids can test their knowledge of basic facts about the TV Tower. On the left side of the wall stands a metre-high ruler where children can measure their height and compare it to the height of the TV Tower. They can also puzzle over how many cars stacked on top of each other would reach the observation platform. The wall features chalk in white hemispherical containers at the bottom left, allowing drawing on the chalkboard-like wall. On the right side are four similar white containers serving as homes for magnetic toys, such as trees and UFOs. By stacking the trees on top of each other with magnets, children can learn the height equivalence of the TV Tower. On the right side of the wall, the lower part of the TV Tower is depicted. Through pairs of adjacent circular windows, visitors can peek inside and observe the tasks being carried out at different heights of the tower.

TV Tower history exhibition

The history exhibition begins to the right of the lift, at the corner of the corridor’s right wall. A timeline runs along the upper wall with the inscription in three languages: “Tallinn TV Tower from Foundation to Peak Moments.”

History is presented in significant periods, each characterised by a specific sentence. For example: “Through difficulties towards heights.”

Circular glass-shaped designs resembling camera lenses with black-and-white theme-related photos, alternate with touch-sensitive square screens and yellow and black droplet-shaped motifs, containing texts. Brief essential facts are in yellow droplets, while questions like “Did you know that…” are in black droplets. Screens offer language selection between Estonian, Russian, and English.

The touchscreens function similarly: opening a timeline, galleries of black-and-white photos and videos, stories and games. Among the games is a puzzle where you assemble the shape of the TV tower from pieces. Additionally, visitors can search for the location of the TV tower on a map or arrange events in chronological order. Searching for a location reveals a text describing it from the perspective of the TV tower’s history. Pressing the arrow on the main screen allows instant continuation of the presented text. Events on the timeline unfold in chronological order for the selected period.

1955–1975. From mast to tower

Television mast

The current old radio building on Gonsiori Street housed the Tallinn Telecentre. In 1955, a 180-metre-high television mast was erected alongside it.

Description of the television mast

The television mast resembles a tall and narrow pyramid assembled from interconnected tubes. Four vertical tubes are connected horizontally from all sides. Additionally, the corners are connected in an X-shaped manner. There are about 30 such connected modules. Some equipment is located above the sixth module, while oval octagonal platforms are situated above the 20th and 22nd modules. Above the upper module is a square platform, from the centre of which rises a sharp, spear-shaped mast. The top of the television mast was illuminated during the night, with some lights also on the sides.

The mast was low and had a limited coverage area, initially intended for only one television program and two radio programs. However, the mast soon became technically overloaded as additional antennas for central television and Leningrad television were added, totaling three television and four radio programs.

There were concerns about radiation and the risk of ice falling. Additionally, the desire to beautify the entire area led to plans to relocate the television mast outside the city.

Site selection

In 1965 the television house was completed and the broadcast centre moved there. Planning began for a new 350-metre-high steel mast, which was intended to be built in Randvere. However, the plan was not feasible for economic reasons.

When Bruno Saul became the Minister of Communications of the Estonian SSR in 1969, the idea of ​​building the TV tower was reconsidered in the same manner as in major cities. Joining the list of Olympic facilities ensured rapid financing, construction materials and other necessities. The estimated cost was 7.8 million rubles, while the average salary at that time was 120 rubles per month. Seven locations were considered for the new site, including Maarjamäe memorial, which was opposed by the military, and Naissaare, where the Tallinn-Helsinki radio relay link had been. Even the sandy elevation near Lükati bridge was unsuitable for such construction.

In 1972 a decision was made in favour of the current location, Kloostrimetsa, near the Botanic Garden. Bruno Saul successfully navigated the project through Soviet bureaucracy.

Designing

From 1973 to 1975, the project for the 314-metre-high tower was developed by the State Design Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Soviet Union. The same group also worked on the project for the Vilnius TV tower. The architects were David Bassiladze and Yuri Sinis, the chief designer was Vladimir Obodov and the chief engineer was Yevgeny Ignatov.

Efforts were made to make the Tallinn TV tower better than the one in Vilnius. For example, the not very reliable rotating café section was abandoned. A long fountain basin was designed in front of the TV tower. Both towers were based on projects for 250-metre-high reinforced concrete factory chimneys. The tower’s construction was based on the strength of the storm that hit Estonia in 1967, considering it as a category 4 wind. The initial project envisaged the completion of the TV tower in 1978.

Concrete

Originally cement was supposed to come from Russia, but scientists from former Tallinn University of Technology, led by Professor Verner Kikas, developed Portland cement based on domestic oil shale ash. The concrete was designed for 300 frost cycles, became extremely strong, and even strengthened further. It was said that not even a picture could be hung on it.

Olympics

In 1974 the International Olympic Committee awarded Moscow the right to host the XXII Summer Olympics. Tallinn was chosen as the venue for the sailing regatta. Together with several other objects in Tallinn, such as the main post office, Linnahall, Pirita road, Narva highway renovation and the renovation of the Old Town with the help of Polish restorers, the construction of the TV tower and Olympic facilities became possible thanks to the Olympic construction program. Everything had to be ready for the 1980 Olympic Games.

For this period, there are three narrated videos available on the touch screen.

1975–1980. Construction of the TV Tower

The construction of the TV tower began on February 4th, 1975 with the preparation of the construction site. In February, digging began for a 9-metre-deep foundation pit, at the bottom of which was poured an 8.5-meter-thick concrete slab to support the entire tower. On September 30th, the cornerstone was laid for the Estonian SSR Republican Tallinn TV Tower with leaders of the Estonian Communist Party present.

The construction lasted for two years, primarily due to material shortages. Nevertheless, the tower rose, and it was opened in 11th July 1980, even though many jobs were still unfinished.

Saturday workdays

The construction site was cleaned during enthusiastically organised Saturday workdays. In addition to the 4th Construction Trust, 32 construction organisations worked on the site at various times. A brigade specialised in complex projects from the Vilnius TV tower also provided assistance. Student construction volunteers, especially for more complex tasks, were involved, including medical students from Smolensk University. There were nearly 3000 workers. Before the opening, organised soldiers cleared the construction debris.

Material shortages and quality

The biggest challenge during the construction of the TV tower was the lack of or poor-quality materials. There was a shortage of wood, window frames, windows, and insulation materials. The reinforcement bars for concrete pouring could be incorrectly assembled or bent. Ordering a new batch and its delivery or making the material usable consumed a lot of time. It was difficult to adhere to the work schedule and the original completion deadline was abandoned. Efforts were focused on getting the tower operationally ready for the Olympic regatta. Often work had to be completed in one and a half to two months instead of the planned three months. These achievements were presented as victories.

Technical solutions

The construction of the concrete shaft involved pouring the entire shaft on-site using a sliding form that was periodically raised upwards. There is a ledge every two and a half metres on the tower shaft. Reinforcement was assembled inside the formwork and filled with concrete. Each poured belt is narrower than the previous one.

Assembly of the metal part of the tower started from the top, which was lifted up and the next part was attached underneath.

The blocks of the elevator shaft were assembled on the ground, lifted into the precast concrete shaft, and assembled inside.

The upper ring structure was also prepared on the ground. The metal structure of the ring was lifted up and supported by sixteen concrete supports.

Fire incident

A few months before completion, on April 6th, during a high-intensity work Saturday, welding sparks ignited construction debris. Nearby fibre optic cables caught fire. Brigadier Väino Saar cut the cables, but the fire still reached the tenth-floor premises through the cable shaft. The so-called Altai mobile equipment installed was completely destroyed. The telephone melted into a lump. By the next day, when a delegation from the Soviet Ministry of Communications arrived, the burnt internal wall was whitewashed. The punishment for the works manager was limited to dismissal from the job. The burned equipment was replaced with equipment intended for the Tbilisi TV tower, which was under construction at the same time.

Broadcasting equipment

To accommodate large broadcasting equipment, some external and partition walls were left unbuilt. In October 1979, installation of the broadcasting equipment began. Sometimes, tents made of plastic sheets had to be built around the transmitters to protect technicians from cold and construction dust while adjusting the equipment. Occasionally hammers or pieces of wood fell down. On December 20th, 1979, the first test broadcast aired.

Interior design

According to a special project, the design for the so-called representative rooms was made: the lobby, elevator vestibule, hall, café and observation platform. The work was done by a young interior architect and Estonian Academy of Arts lecturer Aate-Heli Õun. The design of the elevator and lobby was minimalist. The floors and walls were covered with stone tiles with a minimalist pattern, marked with compass directions and a wind rose. In contrast, the hall was covered in red carpeting and armchairs called cognac chairs were used. The seat of the chair was surrounded by a low backrest. The chair was supported by a base that widened from the bottom.

The café was designed with a rustic dark theme: black granite floors and a black suspended ceiling. Black tiles covered the walls and the bar area on the left. Due to time constraints, the construction of the bar area according to a special project was abandoned.

The atmosphere was enhanced by macrame-like spider-web-like structures hanging from the ceiling, made by hand using knot techniques. The café had round tables covered with tablecloths and four white soft-cushioned cognac chairs around each.

Japanese elevators

Elevators from Japan were installed in the 54-block elevator shaft. During the monitoring of the work, a representative of the company won the popular lottery, Sprintloto, and received the main prize, a Lada car. Since the local supply system could not immediately provide him with a car, he obtained it through representatives of the Council of Ministers of the Estonian SSR. The fate of the car today is unknown.

Intensive work

All the representative rooms needed to be prepared for the reception of high-ranking officials. Intensive work was done on the eve of the opening night. The interior of the tower was finished. Soldiers who were brought in cleaned the area and planted grass.

On the same night, the tower’s swaying was felt during a strong storm. The movement of the tower was clearly visible from a small puddle pressed under the window.

There are photos from this period in the exhibit on the touchscreen display.

1980–1991. Soviet Estonian cultural landmark

Olympics and the TV Tower

The XXII Moscow Olympics took place from July 19th to August 3rd, 1980. The sailing regatta was held in Tallinn. The TV Tower was officially opened on July 20th, 1980.

During the Olympics, the TV Tower lacked both water supply and sewage facilities and the staff of the broadcasting centre had to use outdoor facilities. Finishing touches continued until the following spring by which time these systems were also operational.

However, the façade remained intact. The foyer was adorned with a colourful stained glass window depicting television as a modern information medium, crafted by Dolores Hoffmann. The floors were connected by a Japanese-made elevator, reaching the 21st floor in three-quarters of a minute. A separate elevator serviced the metal part of the tower. Inside the concrete core there was a staircase and a cable shaft. Radio and television signals were transmitted from transmitters to antennas via fibre cables. The Tallinn TV Tower acted as a relay station, transmitting television images from Moscow’s competition centres to Europe. The sailing regatta broadcasts from Tallinn were also transmitted to other regions of the Soviet Union and to the West from here.

The individuals responsible for organising the regatta and the judges’ brigade at sea used primitive pager and portable telephone systems, Altai and Multitone, with radio transceivers located in the TV Tower, serving as communication masts. Pagers were also used by members of the organising committee. Later it turned out that most inquiries were directed to the technicians.

There are 10 videos with Russian subtitles available on the touch-sensitive screen for this period.

The mascot for the Moscow Olympics was the bear Miška, while for the sailing regatta in Tallinn, it was the seal Vigri. His image adorned various products, usually accompanied by the inscription “Tallinn-80.” One of the proudest items was a toy made of soft porous plastic with drooping yarn whiskers, produced by the Polymer factory in Tallinn, owning which was everyone’s dream.

In the historical exhibition, there are three slightly different depictions of Vigri. Each has a rounded hat made of slices, showing three slices. Vigri has a round head and large round eyes. Sometimes they look straight ahead, where a dark circle is within a light one. Other times, they look to the side, where one half of the eye is white and the other half is black. Vigri’s whiskers hang down in an arc from the small rounded corners next to the triangular tip of the nose. There are four whiskers on each side. The mouth is depicted as an upper lip with two cheerful arcs from top to bottom on each side. All have short rounded hands and feet. The toes and fingers are together. There are also four of them.

In the first depiction Vigri stands on a boat-shaped light orange raft with the hat tilted to the right, hands outstretched to the side and feet close together. The hands and feet are orange. He wears a blue vest with black stripes. The stripes are triangular. The pants are black, but the pant legs are not drawn. There is a white inscription “Tallinn-80” on the stomach. The raft sails on a blue wavy sea. The crests of the waves are lighter blue and sharp like on the flag of the then Estonian Republic. Above Vigri’s shouldersmthere is a white sky and a seagull flies to the right.

In the second depiction, a grey Vigri stands wearing a long cross-checked sweater with the inscription “1980” at the bottom and “Tallinn” in printed letters below. The hat is white with a black beak. The shoulders are rounded, the hands are down and the feet are together. The eyes look to the right.

The third depiction is made of copper-coloured metal. Vigri swims to the left. The head is upright, facing the viewer. The hat is on, the round eyes are wide open and looking straight ahead. The hands are stretched out in a V-shape under the head and the feet are together. Around the rounded chubby body is a belt with the inscription “Tallinn 80.”

Broadcasting in the Soviet era and quality control. Coverage

There was a separate technical control department in the Central Television Building responsible for checking the quality of the broadcast signal. Any deviation was recorded with second precision. Major mishaps were reported to the relevant authorities. This determined the monthly bonus paid to the technician. The result was always compared with the previous month, so a trouble-free month could ultimately prove to be financially harmful.

Thanks to the TV Tower, the coverage area increased from 60 to 90 kilometres. With the help of radio relay lines and auxiliary masts, almost the entire Estonia could be covered with Estonian national television (ETV) broadcasts. Other channels were available regionally. In the TV Tower’s ring hall, there were large Zona-type transmitters, which started operating on December 20th, 1979. From the end of 1980, four television channels and 6 radio programs were broadcast from the TV Tower. It was possible to watch Estonian Television, Moscow Central Television, Central Television 2 and in Harju County also Leningrad Television.

Café

This was the only café in Tallinn where a ticket had to be purchased to enter and a form provided by the militia had to be filled out. Due to its novelty and enchanting view, the café became a very popular tourist attraction. Soviet and foreign dignitaries were also brought there.

At the end of the Soviet era, it was a very exclusive place. While the store shelves were empty, thanks to the Kirov Fishery Collective Farm and the joint Estonian-Swedish venture Server, there were full tables here. Finer goods could only be bought with currency. According to the recollections of a former employee, it was a “security officers’ enterprise” and the first Estonian exclusive restaurant.

Power outage

Only once did the distribution block in the TV Tower’s substation catch fire. TV Tower was without electricity for several hours. In the extremely precise technical control conditions of that time, it was a serious catastrophe. Armed guards arrived to prevent a possible attack. When the TV Tower’s head Georgi Morozov ran towards the substation in the evening darkness, one soldier mistook him for an attacker and almost opened fire.

There are 10 videos available on the touch-sensitive screen for this period.

August 1991. Defence of freedom

Mikhail Gorbachev’s new policies and leadership were characterised by restructuring, known as perestroika, and openness, known as glasnost. The essence of this policy was to reduce internal tensions in society, as declining oil prices no longer allowed the Soviet planned economy to be sustained.

In Moscow, attempts were made to suppress independence movements. In January 1991, Soviet special forces attacked civilian objects in Riga and Vilnius, including the TV towers there. Footage of the tragic events in Vilnius and Riga reached the West through the Tallinn TV Tower. Since Western countries condemned such actions, the Soviet leadership began work on a new union treaty. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Georgia refused to sign this treaty. The treaty also did not satisfy the conservative Soviet leadership, as it left the central government with limited powers. This led to an attempted military coup on August 19th to 21st, 1991.

From Pskov, an armoured column of airborne troops was sent to Estonia to take control of strategically important civilian objects, including the Tallinn TV Tower. The armoured vehicles arrived on the evening of August 20th. Later that same evening, Estonia declared itself independent by the decision of the Supreme Council of the Republic.

On the morning of August 21st, Soviet airborne troops broke through the gates and attacked the TV tower. A crowd gathered to defend the TV tower.

The head of the TV tower, Georgi Morozov, managed to cunningly excuse himself to the tower, claiming to bring documents and money. By referring to the need to ensure safety and the operation of the pumping station, he managed to turn on the electricity and the shortwave transmitter of Vikerraadio. The communication centre on the 22nd floor was guarded by four Estonian men, whose presence the airborne troops initially knew nothing about. Radio broadcasts and communication with the outside world remained intact until the failed coup ended on the evening of August 21st, when the television set up in the TV tower’s hall broadcast the news of the failure of the August coup.

According to a guide who lived near the TV tower, it was terrifying.

There is a voice-over video available on the touch-sensitive screen regarding these events.

Description of the TV Tower defenders. Two black-and-white photos

1. In the round photo resembling a camera lens, 13 men hold hands as if forming a wall. The men are in four rows. Behind the men, tall bushes grow. There is also a square sign with a tent and a round speed limit sign with the number 40 above it. Behind the bushes, slightly off-centre, the TV tower looms. This area is by the roadside. Most of the men are young, aged 25-40. Three men have sunglasses on and one wears a motorcycle helmet. The men’s heads are turned slightly to the right and they appear to be smiling at something. The men vary greatly in height and appearance. Only one man has a beard and five have moustaches. Their hair is in different lengths and styles, straight and curly, but neat. The men are dressed in everyday clothes: both T-shirts and dress shirts with various jackets on top. There are both zippered sports jackets and buttoned denim jackets. Most wear different-coloured jeans, but a few wear work overalls.

2. In the second photo, the defenders stand near the TV tower. The first two floors of the TV tower are behind the crowd in the photo. People are on the right and the armoured vehicle is in front of the crowd on the left. The barrel of the armoured vehicle is to the right. The driver of the armoured vehicle sits with his head out of the top of the vehicle. He wears a tankist cap with earmuffs. He looks seriously straight ahead. On the ground in front of the people and the armoured vehicle are several rows of tank tracks side by side. The faces of the people standing are serious, all looking at the armoured vehicle, but the situation no longer seems dangerous. There are 4-5 rows of defenders. All are young men and women. The men have their hands in their pockets or crossed over their chests. There are at least 4 women in the photo. One of them behind the armoured vehicle is on someone’s shoulders to see better. Both men and women are dressed as in the previous photo with the women wearing long pants and jackets or sweaters.

1991–2010. Revolution in the TV landscape

For the Tallinn TV Tower, the years of rebuilding the Republic of Estonia were a time of struggle for survival. Broadcasting of Soviet-era programs continued until 1993 under existing contracts. Gradually, the old equipment in operation until then was replaced. Ultra-shortwave broadcasting and television transmitters based on transistor technology were purchased from electronics companies in Italy, Germany, Japan and the Czech Republic. As the reliability of the technology improved, the number of employees at the Estonian Broadcasting Transmission Center, now Levira, decreased from 200 to 30-40. In 2010, analog TV broadcasting was discontinued and digital broadcasting was adopted.

Commercial television

In 1994, with the liberation of equipment and frequencies following the expiration of contracts, the “TV war” began. This heralded the era of commercial television in Estonia. Several new television channels emerged rapidly, such as Kanal 2, TV3 and TippTV, which primarily began broadcasting Western-style entertainment that had previously been inaccessible.

One of the most colourful stories was that of TippTV, owned by the well-known entertainer Jüri Makarov. To launch the new channel, a new antenna had to be installed at the top of the TV tower. This was done by helicopter. While the old antenna was removed without incident, during the installation of the new one, the weather was windy. When the lower end of the antenna finally managed to be placed in the designated hole, it began to vibrate as the helicopter pilot released it. The support structures gave way and the antenna fell, hitting the edge of the cafe roof where tracks had been installed for window washing baskets. The roof remained intact and the antenna landed near the tower’s fence, sparing the life of a small unfortunate mouse.

There are two voice-over videos available on the touch-sensitive screen about this event.

Bringing the antenna. Photo description

The photo captures the process of bringing the antenna by helicopter for installation at the top of the TV tower. Against a cloudless sky, the helicopter is positioned slightly above the centerline and flies to the left. The photo is taken from a slightly tilted angle from below, which obscures most of the cabin. The helicopter’s body, shaped like a bar of soap, is below, with a cabin attached to it. In the middle, above the cabin, a propeller with five narrow blades is rotating. The blades of the propeller are almost the length of the helicopter. Behind the cabin is the tail, which makes up half the length of the helicopter. The tail is bent and in a vertical position with a small propeller at the end. Before the end of the tail, there is a small crossbar with another small propeller rotating on its side. Below the helicopter’s body on a landing gear, there is a small wheel in the photo.

The antenna being installed is attached to the centre below the helicopter’s body and hangs on a rope. The antenna resembles a clockwork bomb. The antenna is long, red in color, and shaped like a narrow tube, positioned below the centerline. The end of the antenna is shaped like a thicker tube, short, dark and with a pointed tip.

Galaxy Café

Galaxy Café, the TV Tower café-restaurant, renamed Galaxy, was a popular meeting place in the 1990s for local criminals, metal traders and underworld figures.

The following stories are narrated by former TV Tower employees.

People often sat at tables with coats to conceal firearms and weapons under their jackets. The brick-sized mobile phone, a new fashion item, required constant charging. They were lined up next to each other on the counter. They all had the same ringtones, causing all owners to rush to the phone when it rang.

In the early 1990s, there were no drugs yet. When they appeared, disputes and settling of scores between individuals arose. Eventually, an unarmed security guard was hired, who appeared every hour. The most respectable were the larger mafia bosses.

Last visit to the tower

In the 2000s, the number of visitors to the TV tower decreased and the previous clientele disappeared. Among tourists, the TV tower was known as a nostalgic “Soviet glamour mecca.” The tightened fire safety regulations forced the TV tower to close to visitors in 2007 because the staircase in the tower was too narrow for evacuation. The rumour of closure caused the last surge of visitors. In 2009 it was decided to renovate the tower.

2010–2012. Out with the old, in with the new

In May 2009 the winner of the renovation project idea competition was announced. KOKO Architects envisioned the most significant change to be the construction of a new entrance area in place of the pool, adding grandeur while maintaining a clean view of the tower. Work began in June 2010. The first task was to demolish the old entrance complex. During the renovation, previously unfinished work was completed and the lower ring structure was properly insulated.

The TV Tower presented challenges as a high-rise building where work was carried out at a height of 170 metres. Various solutions were found for this – new carpets were hoisted up attached to the bottom of the elevator, special carts were constructed to transport construction debris, which fit into narrow elevators. All the necessary construction materials had to be brought up using these same elevators, which meant hundreds of elevator rides per day. An external winch was used to transport individual larger items. As demolition work was also carried out outside the tower, even the help of climbers was enlisted.

The tower acquired its current design with the most significant changes occurring on the 21st and 22nd floors. On the 21st floor all old partition walls were demolished to create space for the exhibition. Many unique and innovative solutions were used in Estonia. Smaller circular rooms covered with white fibreglass were built as part of a round design. The exhibition hall on the 21st floor features robot fungi, touch-free systems that react to visitors’ movements, and interactive screens that allow visitors to travel through time and explore the history of over 100 objects visible from the tower’s windows. Transparent rings made of translucent material are placed on the floor for viewing down from 170 metres. An exhibition showcasing Estonian achievements is displayed using robot-shaped cosmic plants that react to visitors’ movements. Even the carpet pattern resembles cosmic grass with bundles of varying lengths. A short film is shown in the cinema or stained-glass room.

The 22nd floor was opened as a café and observation deck. The room where four defenders of the TV tower were stationed in 1991 now houses the café’s kitchen. These technical rooms were no longer necessary because the dimensions of the technical equipment had decreased by about 10 times.

A lift takes visitors to the 22nd floor and to reach the café one floor higher, visitors must ascend a spiral staircase. It is also possible to use the lift, but visitors need to ask a TV tower employee for assistance.

There are 10 voice-over videos available on the touch-sensitive screen about the renovation works.

The TV Tower was reopened to visitors on April 5th, 2012.

The renovation and reopening of the TV Tower were funded through the cooperation of the Enterprise Estonia Foundation and the Tallinn TV Tower Foundation. The total project cost was nearly 6.7 million euros. The TV Tower is under the umbrella of the Tallinn TV Tower Foundation, it is a self-sustaining institution and is not part of the budgets of either the city or state budgetary institutions.

The stained glass hall

In the ring corridor on the right side between the elevator and the final stands of the history exhibition, is the entrance to the stained glass hall. Above the door, on a square plaque, is the inscription “STAINED GLASS”, below which is a camera icon and the number 211 on the wall. Upon entering the room, the view is dominated by the beige back side of the cinema screen with bright points forming arrows guiding to the right. Illumination behind the screen is provided by a narrow light panel covered with white panels, extending halfway up the width of the screen. To the right of the light panel is the inscription “TV TOWER Tallinn” in black. On both sides of the screen there is an entrance area about one metre wide.

On each corner there are doors marked with a red ring. Next to the door on the right there is a fire extinguisher on the floor and a sign on the wall. On the left side of the door, near the floor, there is a wall socket with a plugged-in plug.

Upon entering from the right, there is a clock on the right wall. On the left, there is a large white screen with a black border against a bluish-grey background and in front of it there is a small round table that can be moved if necessary. The design of the hall follows the curved shape of the tower. Six metal-edged steps rise towards the outer wall, about 15 cm high. The curved steps extend from wall to wall. The first step is about a metre away from the screen. The steps are one metre wide. The last, sixth step at the outer wall is narrower. Behind it is the stained glass that can be touched.

There are plastic chairs with backrests arranged in four rows on the steps. The first row of chairs is on the second step, the third step, etc. There are no chairs on the upper narrower step.

The chairs have a central leg resembling a brandy glass leg. The seat cushions are removable, yellow, red, blue, and black. The hall is brightly coloured.

The outer wall of the stained glass hall is made up of a colourful stained glass made by Dolores Hoffman, which can be covered with adjacent black curtains.

The stained glass hall is in different shades of grey with lighter walls, a darker ceiling and an almost black floor. There are many circular lights on the ceiling, a fire alarm, a couple of sprinklers and other small safety devices. In the centre, on the ceiling, there is equipment for showing films.

The stained glass

The stained glass

The stained glass window “Television – window to the world” consists of nine large, nearly square sections, each adjacent to the other, with a height of 2.30 metres and a width of 2.25 metres. Between the sections are two columns measuring 40×26 cm, dividing the stained glass into three equal parts.

Each section contains eight panels, four on each side, arranged horizontally. The panels are rectangular, measuring 113 cm in width and 56 cm in height. They are placed within a metal framework forming a dark grid against the background of light.

The panels are made of small or larger coloured glass pieces with different textures. These pieces are cut with a glass cutter and fused together with tin to form patterns and designs. Each panel may only contain a small part of the overall design of the section.

The artist chose the colours of the colour television spectrum as the main colours for the stained glass: red, blue and green. In the artist’s vision, the used colours also express human emotions: red for emotions, blue for thirst for knowledge and green for satisfaction and peace of mind.

The coloured sections are synchronised. There is one white section, with two sections of each other colour, one on each side. The white section is in the middle, followed by one yellow, then red, blue and green section on each side. The artist smoothly transitions the colours of the stained glass from one section to another by adding glass pieces of the adjacent section’s colour. Compositionally, both sides of the same colour are similar, although sometimes depicting completely different things. There is contrast, yet there is something common in both sides. The sections are like alternating frames.

Each section contains a large circle that extends almost to the edges like a camera lens, recording information for the viewer. The circle consists of two adjacent narrow rows of glass, made from lighter and darker glass strips of the section’s main colour. The circle is part of the stained glass pattern and extends through all the panels. The shapes inside the circle usually appear on multiple panels.

Important depictions, faces and detailed images within the sections were created using glass painting technique, where stained glass pieces painted with glass paint were heated to a high temperature of 600 degrees Celsius before being installed in the stained glass.

In the corners of the sections, there are significant depictions outside the circle. The objects depicted on the sections are surrounded by a similar background on all sections. The parts of the two upper and two lower adjacent panels outside the circle are made up of small diagonally arranged diamonds. The background of the four middle panels is horizontally striped both inside and outside the circle.

The artist used glass painting technique to convey more detailed images, faces and specific details. This involved painting stained glass pieces with glass paint and then heating them to a high temperature of 600 degrees Celsius before installing them in the stained glass window

1. The central individual white section features reporters. On the left and right of the white section are yellow sections, collectively forming the central part of the stained glass resembling a “cinema newspaper” covering daily events. Horizontal bands of perforated information connect the three sections via the two lower panels, positioned at different heights. In the centre of the white section, within the ring, are reporters – a man on the left and a woman on the right. The man’s face, rendered using glass painting technique, resembles a black-and-white photograph. He has wavy hair combed over, a prominent forehead with noticeable furrows, slightly almond-shaped large eyes, thick arched angular eyebrows, a straight nose and a mouth shaped like a heart when speaking. Gesturing hands are raised in front of the chin with fingers spread almost touching. The left hand is higher. Patterned glass is used for the hands with diagonal orange and yellow glass added below from left to right.

The woman on the right, wearing large stylish glasses of that time, speaks into a microphone. The circular microphone wire loops around the fingers of her right hand and falls down to her left hand. Behind the microphone, a greyish-purple scarf is tied around the collar of her open-necked blouse. From the scarf’s ends diagonally upwards to the right, a rectangular patch made of red glass pieces is added. The left side of the woman’s oval face is made of blue glass.

Pictures of current events are also featured in the corners of the white section. At the bottom left a mother with a scarf, a young woman and a man with a pilot’s cap are depicted in the left profile. The mother’s hands are around the son’s head and the man’s hands are around both women’s shoulders. Only heads and hands are depicted, surrounded by small rhombuses.

At the bottom right, sports events are depicted. High jumpers’ bodies roll horizontally over the bar with only bodies and legs shown. The extended leg of the right jumper extends into the yellow section on the right.

In the top left corner, three cheerful girls are depicted. The girl on the right is dark-skinned, symbolising international friendship. The girl on the left holds the raised hand extending from the yellow side section into the white.

In the top right corner, people are protesting. On the left, there is a person with a megaphone, and on the right a young man wears a sign around his neck. Between them is a woman with long yellow hair tied up and a mouth shut.

The white section primarily uses white, but also pale blue, bright blue, greyish purple, a little yellow, orange and red glass. White appears brightest on the stained glass, especially compared to other colours.

2. In the left yellow section, within the ring on the left side, stands a young man with a serious expression, slightly tilted, and to his right a young woman. The woman looks directly at the viewer. It is known that they are depicted as Dolores Hoffmann’s parents when they were young. The woman holds a photo of her father in her hand. Above them, men lie prone in a trench.

On the right side within the ring, the artist’s mother is depicted as elderly, holding a photo of Dolores. To her right, slightly below, a child holds a doll with both hands, also holding a photo. Above them, the head of a young man with yellow hair. To their left, people crawl. On the right, hands tied with a yellow ribbon and the profile of a man’s head lying down. Here too the faces and photos are black-white and lifelike.

In the upper corners of the yellow section on the left people are protesting.

In the upper right corner, the theme of joyful youth continues from the white section. At the edge of the yellow section stands a girl who has joined hands with the youths in the white section. Some have their mouths open.

In the bottom left corner, there are people with long hair and closed eyes. A broken white ribbon emerges from the inside of the ring and twists behind the people on the right.

In the bottom right corner soldiers run and a medic supports a wounded person.

The right side of the white section is brighter and more yellowish with a hint of orange and a little red glass near the photo. The left side contains more orange, red and dark red. It serves as a transition to the adjacent red section.

3. In the centre of the right yellow section’s ring, there are five men facing each other on either side. On the upper left, three reporters with microphones record the speech of the speaker on the right. The men in the foreground below shake hands.

The wave of protests continues in the upper corners of the section. On the left there are three men of different nationalities, the one on the right showing a thumbs-down gesture. On the right there are three women, the middle one young and the right one elderly, both with raised fists. In the background you can read the Spanish words “Chile Dolor Y Esperanza” (Chile pain and hope).

In the bottom left corner, the sports theme from the white section continues.

On the right side, next to a lying child, sits a woman with a headscarf. Her open palm is above the child. The child has prominent ribs and thin legs. The child’s face on the right is turned towards the viewer.

The colours in this section are similar to those on the left, with brighter and more yellowish tones on the side of the white section, and panels on the side of the red section are more orange, including some dark red glass.

Adjacent to the yellow sections are the red ones. This represents a window into cultural life – on the left, the world, and on the right, Estonian culture.

4. In the centre of the left red section’s ring, in the middle of the lower half, stands a person in a long white robe with raised hands to the side. Above them are large white swirling hands. The left palm is below, and the right one is above it. The fingers are spread apart and the two back fingers touch. It is known that the stained glass depicts the hand of the puppet theatre actor Ferdinand Veike. Above the hands, a stylized Colosseum extends out of the ring. On the left side of the left hand there are two ancient theatre masks on either side. Under the masks on the left, a musician with a lyre plays a straight wind instrument, facing to the right.

At the bottom right, German commoners dance. In front is a voluptuous woman with her skirt raised above her knees. The man is behind her and their joined hands are on the right side.

The feet of the musicians and dancers extend downward from the ring, surrounded by small diamonds.

As the next section is blue, a transition of lilac and some orange has been added on the left.

5. The red right section follows a similar design. In the middle of the lower half of the ring, a white girl places a tanu, a traditional Muhu headpiece, on her head. Above her are large white knitting hands with two national masks on either side. Above the hands, in the upper part of the ring, rises the roof of a small house with squared windows.

In the lower left part of the ring an Estonian couple dances in traditional costumes. The girl with the high headpiece faces forward while the boy has his back turned. On the right two bagpipe players play, slightly turned away from each other.

Here too only the feet of the musicians and folk dancers extend downward from the ring.

Next to the red sections are the blue ones, which serve as a window into the world of science – on the left showcasing interesting discoveries and genetics and on the right focusing on space exploration.

6. In the middle of the left blue section’s ring is a smaller light ring. In its centre is an infant facing the viewer with hands raised as if weightless. It symbolises birth. Surrounding the infant are black chromosomes arranged irregularly on coloured glass pieces. These chromosomes are small and shaped like a compressed H. In addition to white, the ring contains light blue, a hint of green, purple and red around the infant’s head. The outer part of the ring consists of irregularly shaped dark blue and lighter glass pieces, where one can observe cells with nuclei. In the right part of the red section, a hint of purple sneaks in, along with two red glass fragments.

Above the ring, on either side, are four scientists with their heads slightly turned toward each other in deep concentration. The woman on the left is mixing the contents of a round flask, while the man on the right is examining something between his hands. The man with glasses, to the right of the woman, is reading, leaning his head on his hand. Below the ring are small dark blue rhombuses, with a hint of light blue on the left.

7. The right blue section’s ring is similar, with a small ring inside the large one. However, instead of an infant, there’s a weightless cosmonaut floating in the centre, arms and legs spread out. The cosmonaut’s face is smiling and resembles Gagarin’s. One can discern the interior of a spacecraft and the first steps on the Moon. To the right of the cosmonaut is a mask-like face. The rest of the ring depicts differently sized colourful patches of blue, purple and lilac along with flame-shaped interlocking blue glass pieces. Above the ring are small rhombuses, red on the section’s side with lilac and bluish-green on the side with the following green section. Below the ring, people with various expressions look up into the sky. A profiled man on the right holds his fist near his mouth, a young man peers through binoculars and happy women are on the left.

The outermost green sections serve as windows to the world for both young and old. On the left section, there’s a wrinkled face, while on the right, Dolores Hoffmann’s son is known to be looking through a car window.

8. Inside the left green section’s ring is a wrinkled elderly face turned to the right, spanning four upper panels. In front of the face are two striped television screens stacked on top of each other. On the lower screen, a person’s head is cradled between two hands with one palm closing their eyes. For not all that you see is true. You are spoken to in different languages. What is true from this, you conclude for yourself.

Above the elder’s head on the left rises the vault of a church, its walls extending downward outside the ring. To the left above the elder, a window extends upward outside the ring. Faith, television and the window are his connection to the world. In the upper right and lower corners are green rhombuses with white above and blue below. Added to the different shades of green are vertical stripes of colour television on the upper TV screen, white around the elder’s head and lilac in the church vaults.

9. Inside the right green section is the half-turned face of a slender young man, facing left. He has short, tufted hair and large eyes. His left eye is dark, while the other is grey. Just above the eyes are sensitive, slightly rising, tapering eyebrows, a straight nose and pursed lips. The chin is sharp.

Behind the young man and above him rises a panel building outside the ring. To the left of the young man’s face are three television screens stacked on top of each other. On the upper screen, a black-and-white hand points with its index finger to the right at the level of the young man’s temple. Crosswise over the hand, another hand holds a transparent green egg. The lower screens are horizontally striped in different colours, throwing in white, yellow, blue and purple. Behind the young man’s head is a curtain partly drawn to the side. Below the young man’s chin, a road with two cars stretches to the left. In the background are mountains and trees growing on the roadside.

The young and the old face each other with their whole lives between them. What they have in common is the television screen.

The overarching question of the stained glass is “What is someone’s window to the world?” When the window is closed, it must be asked to be opened. This work speaks much more, intertwined with the artist’s personal story, and each section has its hidden meaning.

The story behind the stained glass

The stained glass artist Dolores Hoffmann was born in 1937 in Leningrad, now St. Petersburg. She was of Estonian-German descent and her parents were arrested when she was just 5 months old. Her father was executed. When her Estonian mother was released in 1945, she searched for her 8-year-old daughter in an orphanage and they travelled to Estonia together. Dolores received her education at the Estonian State Art Institute, initially studying glass art for a year before switching to painting, from which she graduated. Her diploma work in 1963 was a fresco panel titled “Morning” for the cinema Rahu, depicting fishermen heading out to sea in the morning. Already in this work, the artist placed several friends and companions on the journey. Against the backdrop of the Saaremaa coastal landscape depicted in the fresco, one can see the brothers Jüri and Henno Arrak, graphic artist Evi Sepp, painter Jüri Palm, sculptor Renaldo Veeber and the icon of the era, Ernest Hemingway. The artist took a very principled approach to her work and never depicted political figures.

A film titled “Divided light” has been made about the artist.

The creation of the stained glass for the Tallinn TV Tower did not go smoothly. There was strict control over all artists’ works and approval from Moscow was required for the design that had passed in Estonia. For example, how is it allowed to depict protesting people? Who are they protesting against? Is the theme derived from the news? For instance, Pinochet was in Chile. Our bold commission for monumental art simply said that approval had been obtained and work could begin.

By the 1980 Olympics, the artist managed to complete only the central part of the stained glass. The fully completed work was installed the following year in the foyer near the ticket counters.

“The surge of passion, fervour during the design and manufacture of the stained glass, and ultimately the surprise, sheer astonishment standing in front of the finished work is unforgettable,” the artist recalled in an interview with journalist Külli Reinup.

During the August coup attempt in 1991, Soviet paratroopers besieging the TV Tower attempted to break through the stained glass. Stained glass is a type of glass artwork where coloured pieces of glass, cut to fit, are joined together with lead strips. Thanks to this lead lattice, the paratroopers’ attempt failed. Some pushed-in panels and isolated broken areas were repaired later that year. However, it was clear that the stained glass’s current location was not ideal.

Renovation of the TV Tower began in June 2010. The project included major changes to the lobby to improve lighting conditions and change the entrance solution. This also meant relocating the stained glass. The panels were thoroughly cleaned, problematic areas were repaired with the help of the artist and her craftsmen and they were reassembled in the cinema hall on the second floor. The parts of the stained glass were placed on a metal framework between the grooves. The hall now boasts a stained glass wall over 20 metres wide. The southern sun shines through the outer glass windows, making the colours of the stained glass shine brightly.

Lift usage instructions

To use the lift, visitors must first approach the information desk attendant. People with special needs can use the lift with the assistance of a hall attendant to go from the first floor to the second, twenty-first and twenty-second floors. Regular visitors can only use the lift from the second floor onwards. The lifts are located in the circular centre of the TV Tower.

On the first floor, the lifts are located at the end of the corridor following the shop as visitors move through. The doors between the corridor and the lifts are closed and can be opened by the information desk attendant. The lifts are directly ahead and there are 8 steps from the door to the lifts.

On the second floor, visitors can access the lifts from the second-floor lobby through two glass doors located directly opposite the external door. The doors have long vertical handles.

The call buttons for the lifts are on the wall between the two lifts. A TV screen above the lifts shows how many people are inside. The lift doors open automatically. Inside the lift, the buttons to select floors are on the left lift’s right side and on the right lift’s left side. There is a mirror directly ahead and a handrail underneath it. Above the buttons are displays showing the lift’s speed, height and travel time. The lift doors have metal thresholds.

On the twenty-first floor, both lifts have closed doors. The doors have handles with the handle on the right door on the left side and the handle on the left door on the right side. Pressing the handle causes it to lower. The handle is wide and paddle-shaped. The doors are heavy and close automatically when pushed open. Through these doors visitors can access the 360-degree exhibition area.

Visitors can also use the lift to reach the twenty-second floor, where they can visit the café. When the lift door opens, there is a flat surface, and when the restaurant door opens, there is a slight incline. The restaurant door opens inwards.

Exiting the TV Tower is done through the first floor. The lifts travel down to the first floor. Detailed information is available at the description of the TV Tower’s entrances.

Twenty-first floor

Permanent exhibits

On the twenty-first floor, both lift doors are closed. The doors have handles, with the handle on the right door on the left side and the handle on the left door on the right side. When pushed open, the doors close automatically. Through these doors, visitors can access the 360-degree exhibition area. The distance from the lift to the outer wall is approximately nine metres.

Three metres in front of the lifts, there is a large signboard advertising the exhibition, and on the other side, visitors can take photos. There is a printed guide next to the camera.

Directly in front of the right lift door, four metres away and halfway to the outer wall, a spiral staircase leads to the twenty-second floor café and from there to the terrace. Visitors can experience edge walk on the terrace. Access to the terrace is also available via the lift, for this, visitors need to request assistance from the information desk or security personnel.

The other permanent structures on the exhibition area are round and made of hard white material – fibreglass.

To the right of the lift is a white circular restroom. On the tower’s exterior side, there are two white tables with chairs for children. The restroom’s sliding door is slanted toward the lift. There are four round sinks on the left side with mirrors above them on the wall. The faucets are sensor-activated and the soap dishes are located higher between the faucets. Soap can be dispensed by pressing a button located at the bottom front. To the right of the sinks is a hand dryer. There are four regular stalls directly ahead, seven steps away. Upon entering a stall, there is paper on the left and a water basin on the back wall.

Behind the lift is a similar circular space for staff and an evacuation route. A meshed-off children’s corner, or a nucleotide ball pit, is placed between this space and the lift’s vicinity.

To the left of the lift is a third circular area, divided in half. The exterior-facing half serves as an information desk, while the inner half is hemispherical and intended for information desk staff.

Circularly arranged along one-third of the outer wall are fifteen visible support columns. In total, there are 16 support columns with one hidden and integrated into the interior structure.

On the exhibition area, there are large movable chairs like those in the foyer and round white egg-shaped chairs with black interiors.

Robot fungi and observation windows

At various points along the outer wall are a total of six white observation tubes or robot fungi. They stand on sturdy circular bases. The touch-sensitive screens are also circular and mounted on expanding bases. This resembles a mushroom cap bent inward. This design facilitates easy handling of the screen. There is another rectangular screen on the display, where one can move cameras and select objects from the list below the screen, such as Helsinki, Paljassaare peninsula, Muuga, Aegna island, Naissaar, Matura 2000 area or even Haabneeme town, Pringi village, Pärnamäe village or Coastal Battery No. 1. Each observation tube has a list of objects within the camera’s view. The views are displayed in real-time. The cameras are positioned on the fungi so that the entire surroundings of the tower can be observed. On rainy days, only raindrops appear on the screen.

The screen image can be enlarged, historical views and information can be searched and views can be seen at different seasons, direct views and play with the future of Tallinn. A choice of Estonian, Russian and English languages is available.

About a metre from the outer wall, there are six round glass observation windows, each about half a metre in diameter, located at various points on the floor. Through these visitors can look down from a height of 170 metres to the outdoor or shop floor area. Next to each window is a square switch on the outer wall side. Stepping on it opens and closes the window.

View from the windows

TV Tower´s bright striped blue and various shades of grey floor is marked with white printed letters indicating the 8 cardinal directions: north N, northeast NE, east E, southeast SE, south S, southwest SW, west W, northwest NW. The letters are located near the outer wall and large white arrows on the floor point to them. Additionally, the name of the city or country located in the respective cardinal direction and the distance in kilometres are written on the floor. For example, Cairo 3301 km, Jerusalem 3171 km or Monrovia 6622 km.

The view from the TV Tower is surprisingly green. From here, one can understand the extent of forests, parks and other greenery surrounding us. In autumn, deciduous trees growing among dark green conifers exhibit their yellow or reddish charm, creating a mosaic of yellow spots in the forest. In spring, trees and shrubs blossom. Visitors can explore all of this in more detail using observation tubes.

View to the North

The direction of North (N) is located behind the spiral staircase. Looking north, one sees the sea. Tallinn bay resembles a bucket, enclosed on both sides by a peninsula. The sea appears as a fairly narrow strip. On very clear days, one can glimpse the city of Helsinki on the horizon. The horizon is always hazier and more greyish-blue and the sky above it is brighter than elsewhere. In windy but beautiful weather, there are white wave crests on the sea.

To the right, paralleling the sea, the Neeme peninsula stretches as a narrow strip. On the bay’s right shore, there is Muuga Harbor, appearing as a strip of coastline with barrel-shaped containers followed by low, long warehouse buildings. Behind them, by the sea, is a coal terminal. Further on, there are cranes on rails for loading containers in the yard. In the middle of the harbour stands an elevator for storing grain, a tall grey building without windows, reaching about halfway up to the visible sea level. To the left of the elevator, in the background of the sea, are various smaller barrel-shaped containers in a row with bright crane booms behind them. The leftmost one is a pier extending into the sea, a place for ships to dock.

Directly ahead, to the left of the harbour, is the Viimsi peninsula, curving towards the sea. On the left shore are two piers extending into the sea. The central part is densely packed with small, mostly white, houses. The houses are arranged in orderly rows.

Following the coast in an arc to the left are the sandy beach and the Pirita river shaded by greenery. However, the recognizable feature is the mouth of the Pirita river, which, after the coastal forest, appears as a group of very small white houses, where the sailing centre and Olympic buildings are located. The mouth is recognizable by the tiny vertical masts of white sailing boats. Around the bend, right on the seafront, are the cranes and ships of Old Town Harbor.

To the left behind, near the horizon, the Kopli peninsula juts into the sea as a narrow strip. On its right shore are the cranes of Kopli Harbor.

Between the beachfront buildings and the TV Tower lies an almost uninterrupted wide green belt. Green treetops are visible. To the left is Kadriorg, further right is the forest surrounding the Pirita river and the Forest cemetery. The roads are barely discernible, resembling sandy beaches formed by tree shadows.

To the right, from Muuga Harbor towards the tower, there are square areas surrounded by bare bushes. Further towards the tower is the Pärnamäe cemetery covered with coniferous forest and the surrounding woods. In front of the TV Tower, among the trees, lies the Kloostrimetsa residential area. The houses are much closer here, allowing for the observation of details, primarily interestingly shaped roofs. The rear houses are single-story with pyramid-shaped grey roofs, arranged in two rows along the streets sloping slightly to the right. Towards the back right are three houses with red roofs. The front row of houses has six protruding residential units. Even the flat roofs with white edges are slightly recessed. The middle house is horseshoe-shaped, with grey sloping roofs, and cars parked in the courtyard.

The road between the houses and the Teletorn runs perpendicular to the view.

View to the South

The direction of South (S) is located on the other side of the elevator, behind the exit to the staff room.

To the right in the distance, to the left of the city centre, extends Lasnamäe almost up to the horizon. In the group of lower buildings on the front edge of Lasnamäe, there is a clearly recognizable church with a white dome. The taller buildings amidst sparse greenery are more directly ahead and to the left. Against the backdrop of Lake Ülemiste, they appear as white and some red vertical matchboxes. Lasnamäe expands diagonally downwards to the left, covering about one-third of the land from the view.

To the left of Lasnamäe, beyond the greenery and the road leading into the distance, are the buildings and chimneys of the Iru Power Plant. Behind the green building stands a red-and-white striped chimney, taller and narrower. Another chimney to the right is shorter and wider. Next to the power plant are tall light-coloured fuel storage tanks. There are many low, long warehouse buildings around the power plant. The area towards the TV Tower is dotted with tiny houses visible between the trees. Larger buildings allow one to notice architectural details such as arches, balconies, windows, etc.

To the left behind the power plant, near the horizon, is Lake Maardu, appearing as a narrow blue spot. To the left of the lake are more fuel tanks, warehouses and larger houses clustered together. The circle is complete and to the left, the sea and Muuga Harbor start to appear again. Between Kallavere and Muuga Harbor, closer to the TV Tower, is the Muuga suburb, visible as a cluster of houses, which occupies the middle third of the land from the viewpoint.

Immediately around the tower is a wide green belt, with only a few houses noticeable. Only to the right, directly next to the tower, is the large and well-maintained Tallinn Botanic Garden. Further to the right, next to the botanic garden across the road, is the Kloostrimetsa residential area, which lies on the other side of the tower. Among the multicoloured foliage of the botanic garden’s trees and shrubs, there are a couple of ponds visible in the front, and the Pirita river winding to the left behind the distant forest. In front of the growing forest is a glass palm house as tall as a multi-story building and on either side of it are two long greenhouses with upwardly sloping broken roofs. To the right, right by the roadside, there is another larger house with a mostly flat but slightly tilted roof, with jagged edges diagonally on both sides. From the house towards the tower, there are several smaller greenhouses in a row and flowerbeds for nurturing plants. The area is landscaped with trees and shrubs with curved pathways between them. Behind the botanic garden, under the large green trees to the left, is the large Konstantin Päts house with a red roof, currently serving as a school.

The clock of eras

Approximately 30 metres from the gallery entrance, there is an exhibit on human evolution and human settlement of Earth. It is more convenient for us to come here at the end when the elevator descends from the twenty-first to the first floor. You can also come through the elevator, pass through the shop directly, turn right past the information desk, and exit through the turnstile, or, before the shop, immediately turn left past the wall on the left and exit. Then turn right and walk around the TV Tower to the gallery.

The clock of the ages summarises the four and a half billion years of Earth’s history in twenty-four hours. One million years passes in about 19 seconds. The clock is divided into coloured sectors representing a twenty-four-hour cycle, which is further divided into an inner circle. The twenty-four-hour day is marked outside the outer ring.

The clock depicts a geological time scale. Epochs are on the outer ring. There are four of them: Hadean, Archean, Proterozoic and Phanerozoic. These are further divided into smaller sectors on the inner ring, each with its own name.

The most important events in Earth’s history are listed separately on a zigzag line to the left as points. If the common ancestor of today’s humans lived at half-past five in the morning, the first plants emerged at quarter to seven in the evening. The human family appeared only in the last minutes of the day.

Human ancestors with descriptions

Five life-size wooden cutouts of ancestors stand at the edge of the stand. They are naked, dark-skinned with curly hair and a broad nose. Only the penultimate of them has light skin. They look friendly at the visitors. Information about the depicted figures, including physical characteristics, skills and habitat maps, is to the left of each model.

Starting from the right, the models are:

1. Australopithecines could walk on two legs and use tools. Their brain size was smaller. They emerged in Africa 3.6 million years ago. The most famous is Lucy, whose remains were found in Ethiopia in 1974. She has a relatively large head, strong shoulders and her hands are at her hips. There is hair on the woman’s shoulders and legs. 

2. Homo erectus, or upright man, was the first global wanderer who migrated out of Africa 2 million years ago and populated the Old World. They lacked body hair, used fire and crafted tools. The model is Turkana Boy, who was about 10 years old. Found in Kenya in 1984, he stands slightly to the right. His arms are spread out, holding a stick on his shoulders. 

3. Flores Man lived concurrently with an upright man. Its existence was discovered in 2003 on the Indonesian island of Flores. He was tiny. The model is a smiling woman holding a stick. The other hand supports the cheek.

4. Neanderthal man with Denisovan man. We lived with Neanderthals in Europe for about 10,000 years. A couple of percent of our genetic material comes from that time. This is true for all non-African counterparts. This ancestor spoke, knew fire and used tools. Neanderthal man is the only one with light skin, brown hair and a straight beard. He tilts his head to the right. His small brown eyes look slightly to the left. Unlike others, the face is elongated, the hair is tied with a leather strap. There are sparse hairs on the chest and abdomen. Hands are on the back.

5. Modern man Homo sapiens emerged about 315,000 years ago in Africa. The model is a slender dark-skinned man based on remains found in North Africa. He stands facing left but looks suspiciously at the visitor. He has a short black curly beard and a little black hair on his chest. Hands are on the front left side. The lower body is painted with white stripes. Modern humans are the only human species today. There are 7.6 billion of us. 

The names of the ancestors in braille are stuck on the wall behind the models at head height.

Migration map

Moving from left to right of the human ancestors, there is a large world map spread out on the stand. It has green tactile arrows showing where and when people came from Africa and where they went next. The arrows are numbered and each number is printed next to the period when the migration occurred. The text glued in braille next to the arrows has a number and a brief explanation. The upper northern arrows are so high that they may not be reachable.

Modern man Homo sapiens spread across Africa 300,000 years ago. The migration out of Africa took place 70,000 years ago. The descendants of this migration reached Australia 45,000 years ago, but New Zealand only 700 years ago.

Explanations for the numbers next to the arrows on the stand:

1. The divergence of anatomically modern humans (AM) in Africa. 260,000-350,000 years ago.

2. The migration of AM out of Africa. 55,000-65,000 years ago.

3. The settlement of Eurasia, reaching the Middle East and moving further both to Europe and Asia. 45,000-55,000 years ago.

4. The colonisation of Indonesia and Australia 47,500-55,000 years ago. The modern descendants are the Aboriginals.

5. The first settlement of America. Ancestors came from Siberia 15,000-23,000 years ago.

6. Post-glacial colonisation of Northern Europe 10,000-11,000 years ago. Scandinavia and Estonia were covered in ice until then.

7. The wave of farmers’ migration from the Middle East to Europe 10,000 years ago. It was accompanied by significant changes in lifestyle and genetic background.

8. The migration wave of steppe dwellers in Eastern Europe towards Europe and Asia 4,500 years ago. This is where most of the genetic material of Europeans comes from.

9. The colonisation of Polynesia. The islands were settled by sea 3,000-5,000 years ago.

10. The arrival of Eskimos in America 3,000-4,000 years ago. Even today, Eskimos live in Siberia, North America and Greenland.

11. The settlement of New Zealand 700 years ago. Settlement was hindered by the distance of Polynesian islands – the nearest are 1000 km away.

The schematic has two blue circles. The first right-hand circle A is north of India. Marks the admixture with Denisovan man. 1-2 percent of the Papua genome comes from Denisovan man.

The second left-hand circle B surrounds lands around the Black Sea. Marks the admixture with Neanderthal man. 1-3 percent of non-African genomes come from Neanderthal man.

22nd floor café

The café is located on the 22nd floor of the TV Tower. Individuals with special needs can best access it via the elevator, which is also suitable for wheelchair users. The spiral staircase ascending from the 21st floor is a bit too steep for this purpose. Assistance from the information desk staff is required to use the elevator.

To exit the elevator space on the 22nd floor, move along the ramp to the door and after entering, take five more steps straight ahead. Directions are provided from the perspective of facing the elevator. Upon entering the café, to the right of the elevator, there is a 4-metre-long outward-curved service counter with a dark covering at chest height. The front wall of the counter consists of transparent glass blocks with pressed patterns measuring 15×15 cm each. Beyond the service counter is a showcase with spices, tea and coffee. Opposite the showcase, to the left, is a spiral staircase enclosed by a rounded railing, alongside a vertical metal shelf with candles and a coat rack with fleeces. These can be taken on the shoulders when going out to the terrace.

The café, with a black parquet floor, has 100 seats. Dark grey square-legged tables in the centre are arranged more or less in two rows. Tables come with two, three, four or six seats. There’s a large white candle in the centre of each table. The chairs have a round backrest, green velvet upholstery and four aluminium-coloured legs. Large indoor plants grow in installed pots between the tables. The space can be divided into sections with sliding doors. Service is provided both at the counter and at the tables.

There are 14 steps from the elevator to the window and 24 steps to the left wall. The café features an all-glass curved exterior wall. Wide windows are located between support columns in the outer wall and there’s a curved windowsill at chest height throughout the curved café. On the windowsill, there are pairs of heavier round glass vases at various locations. Opposite the service counter, between two support posts by the window ledge, are 9 round stools with black leather seats and metal bases that can be moved. There are 7 steps between the two support posts. Adjacent to one post, beside the window, is a floor lamp.

If possible, we recommend leaving your outerwear in the cloakroom on the first floor. The entrance to the café’s cloakroom is located about 16 steps to the right past the service counter. The door, with a metal door frame, is push-open. Enter with three steps. The cloakroom is small, approximately 1.5 x 2 metres in size. It cannot accommodate a wheelchair. Directly in front and to the left are metal rods with coat hangers at head height. Next to the door on the right is a metal cover to protect wires and pipes, which rattles when accidentally touched.

In front of the cloakroom, a corridor extends to the left for eight steps. At the end is access to the terrace. The door is very heavy to open and has a long handle and a door jamb about twenty centimetres high. When the door is opened, a strong wind blows. It is not possible to go to the observation platform with a wheelchair. The observation platform is 2 metres wide and enclosed with a net.