I first laid my eyes on Tallinn last December. At the time, I was on my trip to Helsinki, the Finnish capital two hours away by ferry from Tallinn. Given their close proximity and shared heritage, these two cities are often referred to as twin capitals, Baltic sisters, or simply Talsinki. Castles and other churches and buildings lie scattered all over this tiny country. Then there’s the aftermath of two World Wars and the Cold War, as well as Soviet occupation and withdrawal, making it a fascinating country to visit. Tallinn’s old town is just marvellous. Visiting there is like stepping back a few centuries and they have done a good job of preserving their history and medieval structures. I walked around there shuffling down cobblestone paths which are lined with medieval homes and ancient churches. Tiny alleys lead to tinier lanes, where you find cloistered yards. The city is still ringed by much of its original stone wall and many guard towers. It’s breathtaking. I don't really use a map nor an itinerary to discover it. I realise just going by foot everywhere and stumbling on interesting things is fulfilling enough. I like medieval towns to be empty and quiet. It personally helps me appreciate them more. Medieval towns are much better when they are empty and peaceful. In winter, the narrow cobbled streets that take you past grand merchants houses, medieval walls and hidden courtyards are almost deserted. 由于爱沙尼亚的首都塔林 (Tallinn) 就在赫尔辛基 (Helsinki) 两小时的船程范围内,于是我便贪心地把塔林这城市都加插在我芬兰旅行程之内。在港口便望见一大片白墙红顶、高矮参差错落有致的房屋,间或有一个个突起的墨绿色尖铜顶刺向天空,勾画出一道耐人寻味的天际线。那里就是塔林的老城区。单是听名字,已经觉得浪漫。塔林老城是欧洲唯一保持着中世纪外貌和格调的城市,因此被列入世界文化遗产。 Tallinn’s UNESCO-listed Old Town is divided into two sections – the Upper Town, more commonly referred to as Toompea, and the Lower Town. Toompea has always been where the central power of Estonia is seated, regardless of the nation’s ruler at the time. After walking around those pretty streets of the Old city, I wanted to take a look at those pointy spires and red-tiled turrets from above and so i went to the St. Olaf’s Church which is one of the best places to do so. I took the above view to the whole city from there, absolutely stunning. Be prepared to climb some stairs, but at the end, it is worth the view. 老城里有一座并不是很高的小山,所以老城分为上城和下城。下城住着的是中世纪这里的商人和手工业者上城居住的贵族。下城主要是平民活动的地方,比如说老城的市中心就在下城 。欧洲古城的市中心往往都是市政厅和教堂,这也是一个很有意思的现象,也体现了在古时的欧洲,封建系统中的国王和宗教系统中的教皇同时影响着这个国家,二者在一定程度上会相互制衡。这可能也是欧洲人最早摆脱封建专制的一个原因吧。上城则是贵族居住的城堡,上城可以看到塔林老城的全貌。 老城的面积并不是很大,我手拿一张地图,便可以让自己随意穿行在蜿蜒的小巷中。然后,“迷失”在老城里。我觉得无须刻意找景点游览,让自己在城内乱晃,迷失于石板巷弄之中,就已是最佳的行程。就是这样,我漫无目标的沿着曲折蜿蜒的石板路走,四处探索古城,时而走进气氛壮严的教堂,时而走进特色小店,那的确已叫我的眼目很享受、心灵很安泰。 老城的街道似乎没有笔直的,一眼望去总是带着曲线美。石块铺就的路面尽管有些凸凹不平,但耐得住时间的打磨,几百年来本色不变,坚固如初。走着每个旅人都几乎会走过的石板路,除了感觉似曾相识外,亦有点觉得自己像已彻底地融入了这个地方,做了当地人一样。我也发现这里的街道没有一条是直的。因为欧洲的道路是为建筑服务的,也就是说是先有建筑后有路,路是围绕着房子修建的,而新加坡是建筑为马路服务,是先有的马路后有的建筑。所以亚洲国家的路都是直的,欧洲的路都是弯的。 Aside from the Toompea Castle, this hill is also the site of two stunning cathedrals, Cathedral of Saint Mary the Virgin and St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. The Cathedral of Saint Mary the Virgin, also called the Dome Church, was founded in the 13th century and has been rebuilt many times since. This lavish church once served Tallinn’s nobles and its repeated rebuilding has led to a variety of architectural styles including a Gothic nave and a Baroque spire. While the architecture was fascinating, I was even more impressed by the extravagant coats of arms being displayed on the interior walls of the church. In sharp contrast to Estonia’s main Lutheran church, the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is a Russian-style onion-domed structure built in 1900 and is Estonia’s main Russian Orthodox church. An ensemble of 11 bells sit within the towers of the church and play before each service, and the walls are beautifully decorated with mosaics and icons – all the more reason to visit since photos are not allowed inside. 老城不大,却有不止一处教堂,大多数爱沙尼亚人信奉基督教路德教派。其中一座便是在山顶观景台看到的欧拉夫斯大教堂。它高的尖塔,让人无法忽视它的存在。它曾是全世界最高的尖塔,即便到了今天,它依然傲视全塔林,而且仍旧是塔林的象征性建筑。 另外,圣母玛丽亚教堂是爱沙尼亚最重要的路德教派教堂,也是从中世纪到现在仍然在运作的三座教堂之一 。虽然又名为圆顶教堂,但外观一点也不像,其实它是经过不断改建,才有今日的样貌。 The Russian influence on Tallinn is most obvious in the form of St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the Russian Orthodox church that sits on top of Toompea Hill. The cathedral is beautiful, with white and coloured exterior and the big onion shaped spires on the top. You can go inside and see the mosaic designs on the walls, and hear the bells ring. 亚历山大涅夫斯基主教座堂是塔林是个东正教堂,典型的俄罗斯风格。华丽的外观好像和周围的建筑格格不入,有着显眼半圆形的洋葱头造型。 还有,整座圣灵教堂的视觉焦点便是白色外墙上的木雕古钟,是塔林年代最久远的公共计时哭。 it is the first former-Soviet country I have ever visited. I didn’t really know what to expect going in. Even now, I can’t quite describe the feeling articulately. There is a distinct energy in the air, a pride in the resilience and independence of modern Estonia. But the relics of the Soviet era still surround you - decrepit watchtowers, Soviet-style architecture, reminding you that the presence of their behemoth neighbourhood always looms over this tiny city. If you walk around Tallinn long enough you’re guaranteed to end up in the Old Town Hall Square. This was the heart of medieval Tallinn and started life as a market for the city’s Hanseatic merchants. They built their houses and warehouses around it. In December it’s filled with Christmas market stalls. I got lost in all those little streets around the cathedral. All in all, sometimes it felt like being in a fairytale. There were pretty doorways and colourful corners everywhere I turned, and the charm of the place brought me back through the same streets so many times, not just to photograph but to actually just enjoy being in such a charming place. There are parts of the place that look like a cross between Game of Thrones and Harry Potter, and I searched to see if any filming was done here as I was so sure it would have been, but apparently not. I’d definitely describe it as one of the most medieval cities I’ve ever been to. 古老的城墙拱卫着的历尽沧桑的老城,带着几分历史的深沉和对未来的憧憬,在岁月流逝中,塔林老城依然故我静静地停留在中世纪的时光里。 A lot of the cellars of the merchants’ houses have been turned into souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants, with the domed ceilings and candlelight making them a cosy escape from the winter chill. 老城里的小巷以市政厅所在的拉科雅广场为中心发散开,曲折、交错,小巷两边是各色店铺,一顶手工的钩花帽子,又或是一间风格鲜明的餐厅,就在转角的某个地方,静静等待与人相遇。有时不经意间抬头,商店门口那些悬挂的招牌成为一道有趣的风景。有许多设有露天茶座的餐厅,能开开心心地享受美味的食物和广场热闹的气氛。 在街道上转弯抹角地行走,总有一种柳暗花明,曲径通幽的感觉,这在现代化的大都市里是很难体会到的。老城基本上是按照历史的原貌保存下来,与历史场景不仅貌似,而且神似,这里的居民过着一种与世无争,平淡安逸的生活。无论你对欧洲中世纪的历史了解多少,来到塔林老城,那段时光立刻在眼前鲜活起来。我也不知道是因为冬天的缘故,还是因为这里尚没有那么知名,塔林老城里没有拥挤的游客,沿着空旷的小巷走向山顶的观景台,只有自己踩着雪的咯吱咯吱的声音。 圣奥拉夫教堂虽然看起来像个教堂,但是实际是个博物馆,进去需要门票,是德国人在十二世纪建立的,之后被改造成了博物馆和音乐厅。爬上塔顶,可以体验到塔林老城美丽的俯瞰风景。 Another highlight of Toompea hill is its array of breathtaking viewing platforms. Back in the day, Estonia’s rulers would use their position on the hill to keep a close eye on the town and its inhabitants below. Today, these platforms provide some of the best views of the capital and the harbor. This is the emblematic place where you will find a wall with this sentence “The Times we had”. I can assure you that these four words will stay forever in your memory. From this place you have one of the most beautiful views of the amazing city of Tallinn. You absolutely have to go there. 当我站在观景台上俯瞰塔林老城的第一眼,我便彻底爱上了这座城市。白云下的教堂塔尖,红顶下的青石厚墙,在薄雾和绿树的掩映下,感觉似乎穿越到了中世纪,非常漂亮。一切都如同一个童话世界,一个从中世纪走来的童话,却又明明是另外一种风味,就像时间从来没有从这里走过。观景台上的红墙上写的 “The Times we had” ,这句话让人浮想联翩,爱沙尼亚人的这句话到底想要表达什么,我也无法搞清楚。不过,在若干年以后,或许那个时候你已经不再是那个风华正茂的少年少女,当你再次来到这个地方,再次看到墙上这句话时你一定会很感动,会很怀念曾经你拥有的这段美好的时光吧。一辈子很短,且行且珍惜。 This picture was taken from one of the many lookouts over Tallinn on the medieval city walls. This viewpoint is one of my favourite spots, simply for the graffiti – “SAVE ON THE CAMERA, HONEY. ENJOY THE VIEW.” Whenever I get too snap happy with a camera on my travels (that’s most days) I always think back to this, because it is important to remember to live in the moment and capture the image with your eyes and other senses: not just with a camera lens. 后来走下半腰,我看到墙上又有一个涂鸦,写着:“SAVE THE CAMERA, HONEY. ENJOY THE VIEW.” 我又觉得好幸福好感动了。塔林真的是个魔法城,此时此刻的塔林老城,是被冰雪皇后施了魔法的童话世界。 I was personally more swept away by the views from that platform since the platform sits directly above the old town rather than off to the side and I therefore received a different perspective of the neighbourhood. I fell in love with this city so hard and so fast that I was completely surprised by it.
The Old Town in Tallinn captured my heart. Until next time, Tallinn….I will be back. 离别时我再次到观景台,塔林老城亦如昨日般宁静唯美, 雪隐去了红色的屋顶,更添一抹沧桑,留下纯白一片,此时飘着雪的天空又呈现着梦幻的感觉。多少人只在它童话般的中世纪老城中逛了不到一个来回便匆匆离去,无缘邂逅塔林在千年时光中酿造出的千面风貌。而我,喜欢这里拍建筑、拍人儿、拍小城,想把这千年时光,千面风貌,记录下来。有些地方,如果不是去过,可能不会知道她的美。
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