Tõnismägi
Encyclopedia
Tõnismägi is a 36 meter high hillock
adjacent to Toompea
hill in Tallinn
, Estonia
. From 1945 to 1996 the central portion of the hillock was called Liberators' Square . The place became internationally known in 2007 when the Estonian government relocated a Soviet war memorial known as the Bronze Soldier
. Tõnismäe is also a subdistrict in the district of Kesklinn (Midtown). Tõnismäe has the population of 1,105 (as of 2008).
forest grew on the hillock and its surrounding area in the first millennium. The hill has been dug lower several times during the centuries, thus leaving less material to be found by excavations, but some researchers believe that the area has been inhabited since the 12th or 13th century. First mention of Tõnismägi in writing is from 1348, when the town council of Tallinn gave the area to the Livonian Brothers of the Sword
.
The history of Tõnismägi has always been related to religion. The oak forest was probably a sacred place for Estonians
, but before year 1348, a chapel for St. Anthony
was built on the hill, accompanied by a cemetery. The chapel and cemetery were probably destroyed around 1570–1571 or 1577 during the Livonian War
. After the Livonian War several streets were built in the area.
In 1670, the first Kaarli Church (Charles's Church) was built here, named after the Swedish
king Charles XI
. The wooden church was for Estonians and local Finns. That church was burned down during the Great Northern War
in August 1710. The short-lived second church was built in the 19th century, but was torn down when the third Kaarli church was built in 1870.
On 25 September 1944, remains of two Soviet soldiers were buried at the center of the hill. Additional remains were reburied there in April 1945. After the burial of the Red Army soldiers on Tõnismägi the square was named Liberators' Square on 12 June 1945. A memorial monument was ordered from architect Arnold Alas
and unveiled on 22 September 1947, its central part being a bronze statue by sculptor Enn Roos
. In 1964, an eternal flame
was added. In April 2007, the statue was relocated from Tõnismägi to the cemetery of the Estonian Defence Forces and a reburial process initiated. (See Bronze Soldier of Tallinn
.)
Hillock
A hillock or knoll is a small hill, usually separated from a larger group of hills such as a range. Hillocks are similar in their distribution and size to small mesas or buttes. The term is largely a British one...
adjacent to Toompea
Toompea
Toompea is a limestone hill in the central part of the city of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. The hill is an oblong tableland, which measures about 400 by 250 metres, has an area of and is about 20–30 metres higher than the surrounding areas...
hill in Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
, Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
. From 1945 to 1996 the central portion of the hillock was called Liberators' Square . The place became internationally known in 2007 when the Estonian government relocated a Soviet war memorial known as the Bronze Soldier
Bronze Soldier of Tallinn
The Bronze Soldier is the informal name of a controversial Soviet World War II war memorial in Tallinn, Estonia, built at the site of several war graves, which were relocated to the nearby Tallinn Military Cemetery in 2007...
. Tõnismäe is also a subdistrict in the district of Kesklinn (Midtown). Tõnismäe has the population of 1,105 (as of 2008).
History
According to archaeological excavations, an oakOak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
forest grew on the hillock and its surrounding area in the first millennium. The hill has been dug lower several times during the centuries, thus leaving less material to be found by excavations, but some researchers believe that the area has been inhabited since the 12th or 13th century. First mention of Tõnismägi in writing is from 1348, when the town council of Tallinn gave the area to the Livonian Brothers of the Sword
Livonian Brothers of the Sword
The Livonian Brothers of the Sword were a military order founded by Bishop Albert of Riga in 1202. Pope Innocent III sanctioned the establishment in 1204. The membership of the order comprised German "warrior monks"...
.
The history of Tõnismägi has always been related to religion. The oak forest was probably a sacred place for Estonians
Estonians
Estonians are a Finnic people closely related to the Finns and inhabiting, primarily, the country of Estonia. They speak a Finnic language known as Estonian...
, but before year 1348, a chapel for St. Anthony
Anthony the Great
Anthony the Great or Antony the Great , , also known as Saint Anthony, Anthony the Abbot, Anthony of Egypt, Anthony of the Desert, Anthony the Anchorite, Abba Antonius , and Father of All Monks, was a Christian saint from Egypt, a prominent leader among the Desert Fathers...
was built on the hill, accompanied by a cemetery. The chapel and cemetery were probably destroyed around 1570–1571 or 1577 during the Livonian War
Livonian War
The Livonian War was fought for control of Old Livonia in the territory of present-day Estonia and Latvia when the Tsardom of Russia faced a varying coalition of Denmark–Norway, the Kingdom of Sweden, the Union of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland.During the period 1558–1578,...
. After the Livonian War several streets were built in the area.
In 1670, the first Kaarli Church (Charles's Church) was built here, named after the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
king Charles XI
Charles XI of Sweden
Charles XI also Carl, was King of Sweden from 1660 until his death, in a period in Swedish history known as the Swedish empire ....
. The wooden church was for Estonians and local Finns. That church was burned down during the Great Northern War
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in northern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedish alliance were Peter I the Great of Russia, Frederick IV of...
in August 1710. The short-lived second church was built in the 19th century, but was torn down when the third Kaarli church was built in 1870.
On 25 September 1944, remains of two Soviet soldiers were buried at the center of the hill. Additional remains were reburied there in April 1945. After the burial of the Red Army soldiers on Tõnismägi the square was named Liberators' Square on 12 June 1945. A memorial monument was ordered from architect Arnold Alas
Arnold Alas
Arnold Alas was an Estonian architect. A notable work is the World War II memorial ensemble in Tallinn from 1947, nowadays usually called the Bronze Soldier, including a two meter bronze statue of a soldier in a Soviet uniform and an accompanying monumental stone structure...
and unveiled on 22 September 1947, its central part being a bronze statue by sculptor Enn Roos
Enn Roos
Enn Roos was an Estonian Soviet sculptor.A notable work of his is the bronze sculpture from 1947 that is part of the World War II memorial ensemble in Tallinn, Estonia, nowadays usually called the Bronze Soldier, whose accompanying monumental stone structure was designed by the architect Arnold Alas...
. In 1964, an eternal flame
Eternal flame
An eternal flame is a flame or torch that burns day and night for an indefinite period. The flame that burned constantly at Delphi was an archaic feature, "alien to the ordinary Greek temple"....
was added. In April 2007, the statue was relocated from Tõnismägi to the cemetery of the Estonian Defence Forces and a reburial process initiated. (See Bronze Soldier of Tallinn
Bronze Soldier of Tallinn
The Bronze Soldier is the informal name of a controversial Soviet World War II war memorial in Tallinn, Estonia, built at the site of several war graves, which were relocated to the nearby Tallinn Military Cemetery in 2007...
.)