Estonian Drama Theatre

The Estonian Drama Theatre building, located on the edge of Tallinn’s Old Town, represents Nordic national romanticism. The building was constructed by Tallinna Saksa Teater, a theatre that operated from 1795 to 1939 with intermittent breaks, and it was the first professional theatre in Estonia. In 1906, an architecture competition was held, which received 61 entries. The winning design was created by architects Nikolai Vassiljev and Aleksei Bubõr from St. Petersburg. Construction of the building began in 1908. The theatre studio established in 1924, which later became the precursor to Eesti Draamateater (Estonian Drama Theatre), officially became the owner of the building in 1939.

Unfortunately, very little of the original interior design, including the furniture produced by the Luther factory according to A. Bubõr’s drawings, have survived. The building has undergone renovations in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1980s, resulting in the addition of a small hall on the roof floor and a rehearsal room. The interior design primarily dates back to 1893, when the Jugendstil-inspired interiors were restored and partially recreated.