The Story of Old Thomas: Tallinn's Talisman
The story of Thomas in Tallinn, Estonia began when Thomas was a young boy, and is loosely similar to the movie A Knight’s Tale starring Heath Ledger. The story of a poor boy turned hero stole the hearts of Tallinn’s people and they’ve immortalized him in the form of a weathervane to watch over the city.
The tale begins as Thomas was watching a medieval sporting competition, where the knights participating couldn’t hit the small target (a parrot) with their bows and arrows. Egged on by his friends, Thomas took aim and hit the target, surprising the audience and the knights. Although his low birth rank disqualified his shot from the official record, his excellent aim secured him a position as a member of the city guard. As he grew up, Thomas was a hero in the Livonian War. When Thomas died, a weathervane was installed on the top of the Town Hall so that he could forevermore watch over Tallinn.
Over the years, Thomas became a symbol of Tallinn. Remembrance of Old Thomas (Vana Toomas) can be viewed by visitors to Tallinn by simply spotting the weathervane atop the Town Hall building. If that proves to be too difficult to see from such a distance — it is 64 meters tall — it can be viewed up-close in an exhibit inside the Town Hall. This original weathervane is from 1530! If you do want to plan a visit, do note that access to the Town Hall is limited in the off season and sometimes available by appointment only.
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.
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