Tallinn opens redesigned Iceland Square

Tallinn officially opened its Iceland-inspired Iceland Square in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday, ERR reported. The ceremony was attended by Icelandic President Halla Tómasdóttir, Estonian President Alar Karis, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna and Tallinn Mayor Peeter Raudsepp.

The opening was followed by the official departure ceremony for Tómasdóttir’s state visit to Estonia.

The square was renovated for the 35th anniversary of Estonia’s restoration of independence. Its new landscaping draws on Icelandic nature and architecture and is intended to highlight the location’s symbolic meaning while making it more usable as part of the cityscape.

The project was developed in cooperation between the Tallinn Urban Planning Department and the Central Tallinn District Government. The design was created by Markus Puidak, an architect in the chief architect’s office of the Tallinn Urban Planning Department, and landscape architect Maire Suimets of the Environment and Public Utilities Department.

The concept was developed by Artur Raik, Riina Parve, Katariina Kangro and Madis Keerd. Ardens OÜ carried out the landscaping work.

The work cost 59,192 euros, including 12,400 euros in co-financing from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Iceland was the first country in the world to recognise the restoration of Estonia’s independence on August 22, 1991. In 1998, the area between Rävala Boulevard and Teatri Square was named Iceland Square in memory of that historic event.