Different but Together in Tallinn

The Teachers' House
Raekoja plats 14
10146 Tallinn

The Teachers’ House stands right in the middle of Tallinn - in the Town Hall Square. Together with the surrounding buildings it has been in the centre of events for the last seven centuries.

Already in medieval documents we find reference to the citizens that lived and worked here – wealthy merchants, respected artisans, and later even town council members. In 1766 the property was transferred to the Baltic Sea fleet of Tsarist Russia, and the residential space was rebuilt into ceremonial rooms. In the course of the renovations (1766, 1957 and 1973), the neoclassical heritage of the building has been emphasised. The decorations on the walls and ceilings and grand chandeliers have survived, as have the beautiful tiled stoves. Every room in the house has its own story to tell.
On 11 November 1918, the Provisional Government of the Republic of Estonia started work in this building and even the ministries were located here for a short time. Thereafter, until 1940, the building was owned by the Central Committee of Officers, who established a club here – the Officers’ Central Casino. Fancy balls and receptions took place at the casino.

About 60 years the Teachers' House has operated as a cultural and educational centre under various names. The historical atmosphere and neoclassical interior make it also a popular venue for weddings, birthday celebrations, exhibitions and banquets with 50.000 visitors a year.

The gallery in the Teachers' House started operating in 2002. It was first called Tokko & Arraku Gallery and then Raatuse Gallery.
The artists who have exhibited their works at the gallery include: Tiina Tammetalu, Airi Luik, Ilmar Kruusamäe, Orest Kormašov, Lilian Mosolainen, Renee Aua, Silvi Lepparu, Vilja Promet, Esti Kittus, Ülle Linnuste, Krista Perli, Inga Heamägi, Vivian Vaher, Helga Voog, Rein Meresaar, Laura Koržets, Tiiu Esnar, Oivi Tulve, Aapo Pukk, Tiiu Übi, Ülo Sarapuu, Avo Paistik, Siima Škop, Lev Vassiljev; and young artists Grete Ulman, Mirjam Mölder-Mikfelt and Aleksei Šatunov, Aleksander Lefbard, Dmytro Dobrovolsky; as well as students and faculty members from Mainor University of Applied Sciences; members of the Estonian Painters' Association (Enn Tegova, Juss Piho, Margus Tiitsmaa (Sorge), Albert Gulk, Kätlin Stahl, Tiina Tammetalu, Owe Büttner, Kai Kaljo, Heli Tuksam); the Estonian Leatherwork Artists’ Union; Association of Narva Artists, and many others.
Photographic art has been exhibited in this gallery by Mare Iknojan and Tunne Kelam; ceramic art by Ilona Gaidukova; and textile art by Astri Müüli and others.
The jubilee of the famous Latvian artist Jurgis Skulme also took place here, as did an exhibition of paintings by Filipp Kazak, a younger generation artist from St Petersburg, and many others.

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