The Literature Centre is now in Toompea

The Under and Tuglas Literature Centre relocated to Toompea, Kohtu Street. Our new location is in the Estonian Academy of Sciences’ building. This building now houses both institutions of the Academy – the Estonian Academy Publishers and the Literature Centre. In addition to the co-operation of the three institutions, the house itself is also important. It has close ties to both Baltic German culture and sciences. Baltic German multilingual literature is one of the Literature Centre’s main areas of research, making the new building a very suitable location.

It was built by Ewald Alexander Andreas von Ungern-Sternberg in 1865 and designed by Berlin architect Martin Philipp Gropius. In 1910, the building became the property of the Estonian Knighthood and in 1911, it was traded to the Learned Estonian Society. The latter was a research association founded by the Baltic Germans in Tallinn more than half a century ago. The association brought with it the Estonian Provincial Museum and its library and various collections. The house gradually became the centre of Baltic Germanism. The German cultural self-government was also located there.

The situation changed during the Second World War. In 1940, the Learned Estonian Society was kicked out and its assets together with the building were nationalised. In 1946, the building was given to the Estonian Academy of Sciences. Thus, the building remained connected to science. With the new addition of the Under and Tuglas Literature Centre, the connection with the building’s Baltic German history has been re-established.

The new address of the Literature Centre is Kohtu 6, 10130 Tallinn. Our museum is still located in Nõmme at Väikese Illimari 12. Come visit us!