The Rotermann Quarter is a modern and attractive 21^st century district right in the heart of Tallinn, in the area between the Old Town and the port.

The Rotermann Quarter is a residential and commercial district that unites the industrial architecture of the 19^th and 20^th centuries with buildings of the 21^st century, creating a district with a modern and distinctive atmosphere and an air of history and worldliness.

In terms of its concentration of historically important buildings, the Rotermann Quarter is compared with the Old Town of Tallinn. The former Rotermann industrial district lies in the heart of Tallinn, in the area between the Old Town, the port and the active commercial zone.

The Rotermann Quarter – an urban environment for three centuries

The history of the Rotermann Quarter dates back to the 19^th century, when businessman Christian Abraham Rotermann founded a covered market which took his name. The Rotermann sawmill and Rosen distillery were the first industrial enterprises to be built in the former belt of fortifications surrounding the Old Town. Rotermann understood that the factory’s location in the vacant area between Mere Avenue and present-day Hobujaama Street would be favourable due to the proximity of the port and the railway, which would soon be completed.

He was not mistaken, and in the mid-19^th century the successful entrepreneur expanded his property, building a department store by Viru Square. Over time, the quarter acquired a complete production complex, including a lumber mill, starch factory and distillery, flour mill, bakery and cold storage. These were extremely important factories, because grain, spirits and wood were some of the main export articles in the Tsarist period.

It is no longer practical to have manufacturing and production take place downtown, as was the case a century ago. Old industrial buildings are being adapted as commercial space, offices and flats. Centuries-old industrial architecture in harmony with modern buildings creates the preconditions for exciting new experiences in urban space for both the residents of Tallinn and visitors to the city.

The Rotermann Quarter – the heart of Tallinn

One of the great advantages of the Rotermann Quarter is the proximity of the port. The Port of Tallinn has great development potential – more and more people are coming to Estonia by sea. In recent years, for instance, the number of visitors passing through the port has surpassed 7 million. Most people who arrive in Tallinn by boat head downtown – to Viru Square and the Old Town area.

The Rotermann Quarter is also adjacent to Tallinn’s main post office. The city’s most popular entertainment establishments, such as the Coca-Cola Plaza cinema, the Estonia Theatre, the Estonian Drama Theatre, many pleasant clubs, cafés and high-class restaurants can be found near the quarter. One of Tallinn’s most popular shopping centres, Viru Centre, which is visited by tens of thousands of people every day, is also close to the Rotermann Quarter. Most of the hotels in the downtown area, which account for ca 80% of Tallinn’s hotel rooms, are also located within eight hundred metres of the Rotermann Quarter. A fifth of the 45,000 residents of downtown Tallinn live within a radius of less than a kilometre of the quarter, too. Over 10,000 people work in the offices situated nearby.