A historic 19th-century property at 14 Sakala tänav is up for sale, one of the few grand wooden residences in the city center, after plans to demolish the structure were stopped.

Plans were initially put forward to tear down the house by the Tallinn Transport Department in 2018 when the thoroughfare was set to be redesigned.

The structure is positioned several meters further forward than others on the street, which complicated the idea to add build wide pedestrian and cycle paths. 

The National Heritage Board opposed the demolition because the building is the last surviving old wooden building on the street.

Further decisions were then put on hold until June this year, when Tallinn City Council decided to put the lot, together with the building, up for sale with a starting price of €788,000.

The property at Sakala 14 in Tallinn city center. Source: Aurelia Minev/ERR

The City Council pointed out that the architectural value of the Sakala 14 building has been assessed repeatedly and it is a valuable property that must be preserved.

According to the sale listing published in August, the buyer must preserve and restore the dwelling. Some of the commercial premises on the second floor of the house have been made available indefinitely to a private individual for cultural activities for a monthly fee of €114.23.

Although information is circulating on social media that the building is set to be demolished, Tallinn’s head of media Irina Kuzina said the sale listing clearly states that the building must be preserved.

Kuzina also said that the plans to redevelop Sakala tänav are no longer being discussed.

However, Tallinn’s Kesklinn District Government justified its initial decision to want to tear down the house to ERR, saying it is in poor condition and requires major investment in renovation.

The interior of Sakala 14. Source: 1Partner Kinnisvara Tallinn OÜ

Kuzina said the building’s roof has leaked and its wooden structures have rotted in places. “Plaster is crumbling from the plinth. The windows need to be repaired, and so on. Therefore, the building requires major renovation,” she explained.

The National Heritage Board has previously pointed out that what makes the two-storey house, built in the 19th century, rare is its richly decorated wooden façade, which has survived to this day.

Among other things, the original wooden cladding, corner boards and double-leaf entrance door with a canopy remain intact.

The building’s interior is also noteworthy, and in addition to the original room layout, tiled stoves, coved ceilings, wooden staircases and interior doors with metal fittings have been preserved.

The interior of Sakala 14. Source: 1Partner Kinnisvara Tallinn OÜ

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