St. Olaf's Church

St. Olaf's Church stands in the northern corner of Tallinn's medieval old town, with origins dating to 1201, and is named after the canonized Norwegian king Olav II Haraldsson, venerated as a patron saint of seafarers. In the 16th century its spire — then rising above 159 metres — was reputed to be the tallest structure in the world, serving as a navigation landmark for ships approaching Tallinn's harbor. The tower paid a price for that height: lightning struck it at least eight times between 1625 and 1820, triggering repeated fires that destroyed and necessitated the rebuilding of the spire. Today the church is home to a Baptist congregation and admission is free. Visitors who climb the tower are rewarded with a sweeping panorama across the red-tiled rooftops of the Hanseatic old town and out over the Gulf of Finland.