Military History Photo Friday: The Medieval Walls of Tallinn, Estonia

In keeping with the theme of this week's Travel Tuesday post about Tallinn, here are some shots of Tallinn's medieval fortifications. The old city in Estonia's capital is ringed by a 14th century wall strengthened by several towers. Large stretches of it are open to the public.

Above you can see the wall from the back, where the catwalk is open to view. The wooden hoardings are, of course, modern. Hoardings were usually temporary structures put in when there was a threat of siege. Given the conditions in Tallinn, however, I bet the sentries wanted a little extra protection not from arrows, but the elements, and kept them up all the time.

Here's what it's like walking along it. Not as sheltered as I would like! Jump the cut for more photos.

Travel Tuesday: Winter in Tallinn, Estonia

Summer is heating up here in Madrid. It's already broken 40 degrees Centigrade on a few days. Everything is in bloom and the dominant colors are a bright blue sky, green trees, and harsh yellow sunlight.

So let's switch over to the whites and grays of winter. Winter in the capital of Estonia, to be precise. Tallinn is an artsy city, and what can be more artsy than two snow-covered lovers? It's also a historic city, so here's a shot of a medieval tower and Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. I like how the snow keeps the pattern of the roof tiles on the cathedral.

People generally don't go to Estonia or any of the other Baltic states in winter, which is a shame because the mantle of snow beautifies the city and countryside and there are no crowds to contend with. So if you want a different sort of winter vacation, consider heading north!

All photos copyright Sean McLachlan