Churches of Estonia

At this time Tallinn (or Reval, as it was known by its German masters) had started to benefit from its privileged situation as a Hanseatic port and a key trading crossroads between east and west. During the medieval building boom in Tallinn, the city's walls were heavily rebuilt and many new towers were added. In addition to Pirita Convent, several other outstanding buildings were constructed, including the Town Hall in the Old Town.

This building boom caused a shortage of materials and organisational skills. Land for the convent was finally secured on the right bank of the River Pirita, but it took several more years of difficulties before, in 1417, the first limestone quarry permit was secured with help from the grandmaster of the Livonian Order and work on the convent started. The church was consecrated on 15 August 1436 by Bishop Heinrich II of Reval, a date that is still celebrated in Tallinn.

Pirita Convent remained in operation for the next 150 years as the largest nunnery in Old Livonia. Its facade had a monumental triangular gable rising over the portal, reaching to a height of about thirty-five metres. The convent's floor space totalled more than 1,360 metres squared. Atypically, the main altar was located in the east, due to the location of the convent beside the river making it impractical to place the visitor's entrance there. Instead it was reversed.

According to the rules of St Bridget's convents, the church had thirteen altars, all named after the apostles, so that each priest had his own altar and apostle. In addition there were several other side altars such as the St Bridget altar. Each convent could not have more than 85 members: sixty sisters and twenty-five brothers. The nuns and monks were kept separated by the church building itself, and when inside it during joint masses they were not allowed to see each other.

A small-scale invasion of Russians into Old Livonia and North Estonia took place in January 1575, during the Livonian Wars. The Russians reached the outskirts of Tallinn, destroying Pirita Convent and the nearby village. The local inhabitants never restored most of the buildings. As late as the 1930s a potato field covered the former nuns quarters and the potatoes were stored in the former hypocaust of the abbess' residence. A new nunnery was built next to the old ruins in 2001.

All photos on this page kindly contributed by K Kimmel.