Sunday, May 13, 2012

Oleviste Church (St. Olaf's) in Tallinn, Estonia

 Tallinn, Estonia

The town wall and Oleviste Church

postmarked in 2012 with an Estonia 'Year of the Dragon' stamp

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Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of 159.2 km2 (61.5 sq mi) with a population of around 417,000. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

St. Olaf’s Church or St. Olav's Church (Estonian: Oleviste kirik) in Tallinn, Estonia, is believed to have been built in the 12th century and to have been the centre for old Tallinn's Scandinavian community prior to the conquest of Tallinn by Denmark in 1219. Its dedication relates to King Olaf II of Norway (a.k.a. Saint Olaf, 995-1030). The first known written records referring to the church date back to 1267, and it was extensively rebuilt during the 14th century.

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