Tallinn Song Festival Grounds
Open-air arena under a concrete singing arch, home of the Estonian Song Festival
The Tallinn Song Festival Grounds lie on a slope above the sea at Lasnamae, east of the city centre. Mass choral gatherings have been held here since 1928, but the present shell-shaped stage was designed by Alar Kotli with Henno Sepmann and Endel Paalmann and completed for the song festival of 1960. Its thin concrete arch spans about 73 metres and shelters a stage for tens of thousands of singers, while the grassed bowl in front can hold a crowd of more than a hundred thousand.
The grounds are central to the Estonian Song and Dance Celebration, held roughly every five years and inscribed on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. They were also the setting for the mass gatherings of the Singing Revolution in 1988, when hundreds of thousands assembled to sing patriotic songs. Between festivals the arena hosts large concerts and public events, a visitor centre explains the history of the choral tradition, and a flame tower stands beside the arch.
Highlights
- Concrete singing arch of 1960 spanning about 73 metres
- Stage for tens of thousands of choral singers
- Site of the 1988 Singing Revolution gatherings
- Visitor centre on the choral tradition, open by booking
