The historic centre (Old Town) of Tallin is also inscribed as Unesco World Heritage place since 1997. The origins of Tallin date back to the 13th century, when a castle was built there by the crusading knights of the Teutonic Order. It developed as a major centre of the Hanseatic League, and its wealth is demonstrated by the opulence of the public buildings (the churches in particular) and the domestic architecture of the merchant's houses, which have survived to a remarkable degree despite the ravages of fire and war in the intervening centuries.
