A relatively small but intense museum in the original basement cell tract of the kgb building in tartu, estonia. Historians visiting tallinn have several opportunities to catch a glimpse into estonias communist past. Viru hotel kgb museum things to do in tallinn likealocal. Tallinn museum of orders of knighthood home facebook. Its as if they are trying to erase it from history. The hotel for foreigners also had to suit the national security body kgb. Kgb museum tallinn 2020 what to know before you go.
During the soviet era, hotel viru in tallinn had a secret floor with kgb agents surveilling the hotels visitors. Looking for accommodation near kgb museum, tallinn. Find last minute hotel deals on 4star hotels at 2star prices. The kgb prison cell exhibition history of the kgb house speaks primarily of the crimes committed there. Kgb museum tallinn 2020 all you need to know before. Nowadays, it is a museum, where you can see their top secret equipment and hear interesting stories. However, this really paid off as the tour guide has a lot of interessting facts and stories about the museum and the time estonia was under kgbsurveillance. Kgb used to play a big role in hotel virus and generally estonias history. Popular kgb books share book recommendations with your. The hotel viru and kgb museum is situated at the sokos hotel viru and runs until december, 2011. The year was 1972, and there were still two decades or so until the fall of communism and the collapse of the soviet union.
Less than 20 years later, the soviet union was dismantled and the offices vacated. If you are looking for a low budget accommodation in tallinn, please check the offers of the academic hostel at tallinn university of technology. Museum is closed until the end of the emergency situation. Having all the foreigners in one place made it much easier to keep tabs on them and the locals they had contact with, which is exactly what the kgb did from its 23rdfloor spy base. Thinking of visiting the kgb museum in the veru hotel in tallinn estonia. Read more louis kahns and moshe safdies original drawings on view at the museum of estonian architecture in tallinn. The viru hotel, open in 1972, is full of various stories stories about the hotel itself, soviet society and the development of estonia. It compensates for the lack of such a museum in the capital tallinn and more than justifies a day trip from there to estonias second city, which is otherwise a very pleasant university town. Top 28 museums in tallinn 2020 best tallinn museums. Book the modern loft close to tallinn city center stay at this apartment in tallinn. Pieces of scrap paper are even handed out to those who wish to play with the array of abandoned kgb stamping equipment on the desks, once only used to emboss the most confidential of kgb files.
Of course you are its in the top 5 places to go in tallinn according to. There once was a hotel that came to be named the viru. Jul 31, 2014 the kgb welcomes you to estonias hotel viru. Dear friends of the estonian museum of architecture, we wish you all good health and have to announce that. Sokos hotel viru viru valjak 4, tallinn 10111, estonia. Kgb museum prague 2020 all you need to know before you.
Have you ever been to viru hotels kgb museum, where the elevator can not reach. This fall i went there with a bunch of my old colleagues and visited the kgb museum for the third time. We recommend booking kgb museum tours ahead of time to secure your spot. Book the hestia hotel europa stay at this 4star businessfriendly hotel in tallinn. Theres nothing there, and other lies the kgb told us. This museum tells the story of more than just one hotel and the kgb. Kgb museum tallinn, estland anmeldelser tripadvisor.
However, this really paid off as the tour guide has a lot of interessting facts and stories about the museum and the time estonia was under kgb surveillance. Not so much of a museum but the guided tour tells an interesting story of the hotel and of how the kgb spied on international tourists. The museum, which can only hold 25 people at a time, occupies a hotel room that began to be used. The tour guide is very enthusiastic, i only understand around 60% due to the strong russian accent. Wander wisely with the travelocity price match guarantee. Tallinn city museum owns 9 more departments and museums around the city. There is no access to the building, which can only be seen from the outside. Having all the foreigners in one place made it much easier to keep tabs on them and the locals they had contact with, which is exactly what the kgb did from its. Tallinn throughout time the viru hotel has been a symbol and milestone, a legend where one feels the heartbeat of the city.
Taking you to the 1970s during the soviet union where the soviet citizens lived with chaste friendships and everyone being watched by the party. Along the way, relish unesco world heritage sites, old cities, beautiful scenery, and fascinating historical sightswith overnights in warsaw and st. Modern loft close to tallinn city center in tallinn expedia. The year was 1972 and a little less than 20 years remained until the end of the soviet era. It covers tallinns history from prehistory until 1991, when estonia regained its independence. Across tammsaare park from tallinns atmospheric old town, you will find a different world.
The most interesitng thing about the tour is you realise how little tallinn wants to talk about the time when they were ruled by the soviets. Well worth a visit book in advance kgb museum, tallinn. But at the hotel virus kgb museum, visitors are actively encouraged to pick up and examine the spying tools on display. Kgb cells museum tartu 2020 what to know before you go. Find best deals on hotels near kgb museum, tallinn estonia with wotif. Plan to visit kgb museum during your tallinn vacation using our convenient tallinn driving holiday planner.
At the classy hotel viru in the city of tallinn, wellheeled travelers arranged. The country needed hotels suitable for foreigners, and these hotels had to accommodate kgb as well. The building is converted into 42 luxurious apartments. Kgb museum the viru hotel was built in 1972 with a secret floor to house a kgb spying operation. We tell the story of estonia and estonians through personal memories and moving stories of our grandmothers and grandfathers. Hotel viru and kgb museum there once was a hotel that came to be named the viru. Viru kgb museum, tallinn dark tourism the guide to dark. Another historical museum that can be found at citys old town, just behind the town hall is tallinn city museum.
The kgb museum tallinn possibly the worst museum in. However, underneath the gloss of hotel logos and swimming pool blueprints, its a rich and fascinating account at odds with itself and the rest of the world. On your journey through the museum, you will be accompanied by an eguide in estonian, russian, english, finnish, german, french, or spanish, which will lead you to an inclusive and reflective journey on the trails of the recent past. The kgb museum tallinn possibly the worst museum in the. Apr 30, 2017 thinking of visiting the kgb museum in the veru hotel in tallinn estonia. It is situated outside the city centre in the soviet suburbia of mustamae.
Oct 17, 2016 top 5 weird ww2 german prototypes that actually flew duration. Tallinn museum of orders of knighthood kuninga 3, 10146 tallinn, estonia rated 4. Do you want to know the entry ticket price for kgb museum. Museum hotel viru and the kgb once upon a time, there was a hotel called viru. The tour takes place six times per day in finnish and english only twice in english and the museum in what is now called original sokos hotel viru is closed on mondays from november to april. Time has turned the viru hotel into something unique and genuine here you can find what you will not find in other places. On the surface the hotel viru and kgb museum would seem to be quite a slight exhibition. Hotels near kgb museum hotels near kgb museum, current page. Not so much a museum as such but a guided tour through the somewhat museumized parts of the viru hotel in tallinn where the kgb used to operate its surveillance technology to listen into guests conversations and so on. Viru valjak 4, 10111 tallinn, estonia kgb museum contact number. The tour is a very tongueincheek, even sarcastic, and certainly entertaining affair that tries to provide an insight into the soviet era without making it too gloomy. During the soviet era the hotel viru was the only hotel in tallinn where international tourists were allowed to stay and the hotel should show them how perfect life in the soviet union was. Check out where to stay in tallinn and book an accommodation of your choice.
On this baltics and northern europe tour, journey from poland to russia traveling through the baltic states of lithuania, latvia, and estonia, and finland. Visit kgb museum on your trip to tallinn or estonia inspirock. Popular attractions port of tallinn and tallinn town hall are located nearby. The museum, which can only hold 25 people at a time, occupies a hotel room that. Of course you are its in the top 5 places to go in tallinn according to tripadvisor as of making this video in april. The environment juxtaposed to the outside world that was more liberal.
It covers tallinn s history from prehistory until 1991, when estonia regained its independence. Kgb museum tallinn 2020 what to know before you go with. Spy catching at hotel virus kgb museum the lady pre. Hotel viru kgb museum tallinn, estonia attractions. Located in the hotel viru, the kgb museum takes you back only a little way into history to soviet times but it seems like a different world. If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. Back then, the hotel viru was where foreigners stayed and that was just what the kgb wanted.
Elizabeth newcamp is a floridabased homeschooling mother of three boys ages 7, 5 and 3. Kgb cells museum, tartu dark tourism the guide to dark. This museum is a must to understand how awesomely the kgb tried to protect soviet estonia meaning totally oppress its citizens. No longer the plaything of greater powers danish, swedish, polish, german and soviet tallinn is now a proud european capital with an allure all of its own. The useful idiots, the leftists who are idealistically believing in the beauty of the soviet socialist or communist or whatever system, when they get disillusioned, they become the worst enemies. Its lively yet peaceful, absurdly photogenic and bursting with wonderful sights ancient churches, medieval streetscapes and noble merchants houses. Viru kgb museum, tallinn dark tourism the guide to. Kgb museum at sokos hotel viru, tallinn disambiguation page providing links to topics that could be referred to by the same search term this disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title kgb museum.
The hotel viru 1972 was not only estonias first skyscraper, but literally the only place for tourists to stay in tallinn at the time. Spy equipment and sovietera paraphernalia are on display in the exact state in which they were left. An eye opening reminder of just how the kgb played the part of big brother actually in our life time the museum is bizarrely on the 23rd floor of a 22 storey hotel no there is no typo there but to understand you have to visit the museum. Hotel viru kgb museum tallinn, estonia attractions lonely.
Those intrigued by the citys secret history can take the guided tour of the kgb museum on the 23rd floor of sokos hotel viru. Feb 19, 2020 an eye opening reminder of just how the kgb played the part of big brother actually in our life time the museum is bizarrely on the 23rd floor of a 22 storey hotel no there is no typo there but to understand you have to visit the museum. Choose from over 203 hotels backed by travelocity s price match guarantee. From here, guests and staff of the hotel were spied on by the kgb during soviet times. We did the tour with a guide, eventhough non of us usually like guided tours on museums.
Kgb museum tallinn 2020 all you need to know before you. It is located in tallinn, the capital city of estonia the library was founded in april 1946 as the central library of the estonian academy of sciences. Our guide was very knowledgeable and presented the tour in a very interesting and friendly manner. Our mates rates will save you heaps on your next stay.
1374 1129 1256 315 994 1247 509 1355 602 932 473 938 186 988 901 695 1291 219 929 482 1139 177 1523 168 1007 36 1325 1215 455 1490 815 1136 878 1152 155 1393 1368 204 570 499 1205