Glehn Castle

Nikolai von Glehn built this house on the Mustamäe escarpment in Nomme in 1886, a small castle of towers and battlements in no consistent style, and he founded the surrounding settlement that became the Nomme district of Tallinn. He was also an amateur sculptor, and the park holds his work: a large concrete figure of Kalevipoeg, the hero of the Estonian epic, standing on the slope, and a crocodile lying in the grass, along with a palm house and an observatory tower. The concrete has been repaired repeatedly. The building belongs to Tallinn University of Technology and access inside is limited, but the park is open and free.

What you actually see

• The castle - the turreted house on the escarpment.
• The Kalevipoeg figure - Glehn's concrete sculpture of the epic hero.
• The crocodile - the other well-known figure in the park.
• The park - the wooded grounds on the Mustamäe slope.

When to go

May to September for the park; it is open year round but pleasanter in leaf. The building is used by the university and interior access requires arrangement. Weekends bring local walkers.

Honest expectations

The interior is generally closed to casual visitors. The sculptures are concrete and repeatedly repaired rather than original surfaces. There is no interpretation in the park. It is a local curiosity rather than a major site.

Nearby

Nomme centre lies below; central Tallinn is northeast.