Pirita Convent ruins

The gaunt limestone gable of this former Bridgettine convent rises beside the Pirita River northeast of central Tallinn. Founded in the early fifteenth century, the monastery of Saint Bridget was among the largest in the region before it was destroyed during the Livonian War in 1577. Today its towering west wall and roofless nave form an evocative ruin surrounded by lawns and a cemetery. Concerts and events are held among the walls in summer, and a modern convent stands nearby to continue the site's religious life.