Dominican Monastery
Dominican Monastery takes part in Open House Tallinn. Admission is free. No registration needed - just turn up.
- Address
- Müürivahe 33, Tallinn, Eesti
- Open
- Sat, 10. October; Sun, 11. October
- Tours
- Sat, 10. October: 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00 | Sun, 11. October: 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00
- Tour languages
- eesti, English, русский
- Architects
- klooster rajatud 1246; Katariina kirik 14. sajandi teine pool
- Tour length
- 45-60 min
- Max. visitors
- 25
The Dominican Monastery is one of the oldest building complexes in the lower town of Tallinn’s Old Town. The Dominicans, or the Order of Preachers founded in Spain, arrived in Tallinn in 1229, and the monastery consecrated to Catherine of Alexandria was established between Vene and Müürivahe streets in 1246. In the Middle Ages the monastery was an important centre of religious life, education and intellectual culture. The buildings of the complex stood around a rectangular inner courtyard, lined by the monastery buildings, the cloister walks and, on the southern side, the grand St Catherine’s Church. The church reached its final form probably in the second half of the 14th century and was in area the largest church building in the lower town. After the Reformation the monastery ceased to function and much of the church was destroyed in the fire of 1531. The complex later took on various new uses, and some of the monastery buildings were demolished or rebuilt. In today’s urban space the monastery does not read as a single whole but opens up in layers: the courtyards of Vene Street, the surviving cloister walks and rooms, carved stones, St Catherine’s Passage and the ruins of the church. In the passage, surviving sections of the church walls and tombstones can be seen.
On Müürivahe Street, in front of the monastery museum at Müürivahe 33.
Open House Tallinn