One delightful aspect of Tallinn is the relative abundance of wind vanes (or weather vanes) atop the buildings in the city. One traditional wind vane is that of Vana Toomas (Old Thomas), based on a legend of a medieval archery tournament in which members of the aristocracy would compete to see who could shoot a wooden parrot off the top of a pole. All those who tried failed this endeavor until finally a young boy named Thomas succeeded. Thomas was from a poor family but, because of his skills, he was made an apprentice guard and later became a soldier and guard loved by all. When he died, a metal statue of Thomas was placed atop city hall so he could watch over Tallinn for all time.
Old Thomas Wind Vane
SOURCE: Old Thomas Wind Vane (Tallinn, Estonia). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 31 Jul 2010.
Rooster Wind Vane
SOURCE: Rooster Wind Vane (Tallinn, Estonia). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 31 Jul 2010.
Wind Vane #3
SOURCE: Wind Vane #3Â (Tallinn, Estonia). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 31 Jul 2010.
Wind Vane #4
SOURCE: Wind Vane #4Â (Tallinn, Estonia). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 31 Jul 2010.
Copyright © 2010 by Stephen J. Danko
