Meet Marienberg!

The area center between the Song Festival Grounds and the Film Museum has been named Marienberg. In the future, it will develop into a community hub, featuring cozy cafes, a grocery store, numerous recreational and sports facilities, and a green promenade.

“Since the opinion of both our clients and supporters is important to Metro, we organized a naming competition for the new area center on our social media channels. We shortlisted two candidates, Marienberg and New Maarjamäe, and also allowed people to submit their own suggestions. Nearly 100 people participated in the voting, and Marienberg won by a landslide,” explains Metro’s CEO Ain Kivisaar about the naming process.

Rediscovering Marienberg

The name Marienberg has strong historical roots, as it was the original name of the Maarjamäe Palace completed in 1874. The name ‘Maarjamägi’ came into use in the late 1930s as a translation of Marienberg. Today, Maarjamäe refers to the mainly residential area stretching from the Maarjamäe Palace of the Estonian History Museum towards Pirita.

At the same time, the area along Pirita Road heading towards the city center, including the developing Marienberg with its 900 households, belongs to the Kadriorg district. The separation by Narva Road and the distance from Pirita leaves the area somewhat without a clear identity or belonging. Many residents of the apartment buildings in the area do not feel part of either the Kadriorg or Maarjamäe communities, and city dwellers tend to visit the area mainly for events at the Song Festival Grounds or the Flower Pavilion, or as guests of the legendary restaurant Tuljak.

Marienberg has a great opportunity to unite the community, connecting the newly built apartment buildings in the area, the more distant and nearby private houses, and the families moving into the heart of the new district.

Marienberg will be established on the current site of the Estonian Exhibition Center, bringing a six-group kindergarten, a local grocery store, and a market square named after the area where community events can be held. The area will also feature a pedestrian-friendly main street surrounded by small businesses and services.

Historically, the area has been one of Tallinn’s many summer vacation spots for centuries, and Marienberg will continue this tradition by offering numerous leisure and sports opportunities for all ages. More than half of the area will be covered with greenery, and the green promenade will offer future opportunities for urban gardening, reading a book on a comfortable park bench, playing on the playground, engaging in various sports, or meeting neighbors on the jogging track.

In Marienberg, families who previously sought homes in suburban private houses will find spacious new residences. Both nearby neighbors and city dwellers from further afield will come here to spend time, use the services of small businesses, seek a pleasant environment for walking, or enjoy active time with friends, later dining in one of the cozy local eateries.