Aerial photography by skycam.ee / Jaan Kronberg

The first mention of Kopli peninsula dates back to 1365, when this area was home to a brick workshop, extensive pastures, and fishermen. In 1774, a cemetery was established in Kopli where Lutheran Baltic Germans were buried, and a small settlement was formed.

Kopli peninsula was significantly revitalised in 1912, when the Russian Empire declared Tallinn its main naval base, and the foundations were laid for the most powerful Russian-Baltic shipbuilding factory in the Tsarist Empire (1912–1916). However, one shipbuilding factory was not enough, and the Becker & Co (Bekker) factory was built on another plot (1912-1914).

The layout of the living environment was well thought out and cutting-edge for its time. In addition to dwellings, it included other essential facilities: a school, church, community centre, hospital, canteen, shop, post office, fire station, and more. It can even be said that Tallinn is the first city in the history of global architecture to apply the principles of modern urban planning.

In the 1930s, Kopli peninsula became one of the most beautiful districts of Tallinn and was also not lacking an active social life. This area was known as the Professors’ Village. During that time, the main building of the ship repair factory was home to the University of Technology, and the houses of former employees of the factory were occupied by university lecturers.

During the Soviet era, Kopli became a workers’ area where the main employer was the ship repair factory. Kopli’s image began to change; questionable characters settled in the area, crime increased, and buildings and people decayed. Kopli is only just beginning to shake off its bad reputation from that time.

Kopli, long in a state of torpor, is on the verge of a major transformation, is becoming one of Tallinn’s most exciting districts. It is so close to the sea and the city centre yet so set apart.