A group of Year 12 and 13 Russian and History A Level students recently embarked on a trip to Tallinn, primarily to discover the influence of the Soviet Union and the Cold War on Estonia. Students were shocked to learn that thousands of Estonians were deported to Siberia and other places in the Soviet Union under Stalin. We visited a number of sites of interest including the Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom, the KGB Prison Cells, the KGB Museum and a graveyard for discarded statues of former Soviet leaders.
There were definitely times of light relief which included a marzipan and pelmeni making workshop followed by dinner in a traditional Russian restaurant. Students spent an exciting evening at the ballet to see Louis X1V, Sun King and also had a wonderful opportunity to explore the old city of Tallinn despite the temperature being minus 13!
A visit to Kadriorg Palace, built by Peter the Great for his wife and to the small house that he preferred to live in, took us all back in time to the 18th century. Tallinn is a beautiful city to visit and the trip was a truly educational experience.