As with most other European countries, a long history of war, plague, and poverty means Estonian ghost stories date back through the centuries. You see, Estonia is crammed with abandoned castles, spooky towers, and haunted buildings—and the stories that go along with them. In this post, we will go over three of Estonia’s most famous ghost stories and how they came to be. Let’s start!
Learning ghost stories can help you learn Estonian by providing a fun and engaging way to practice your language skills. The stories are typically rich in vocabulary and idiomatic expressions, which can help you expand your language understanding. Since ghost stories are often conversational, they can also help you practice your listening and speaking skills. Furthermore, it can also help with cultural understanding, as ghost stories are an essential part of the folk culture in Estonia.
Excited to learn more? Let’s start with our ghost stories!
Estonian Ghost Stories
#1: The Devil’s Window
Strange sounds and spooky goings-on have been heard from the Devil’s Window at Rataskaevu 16 in Tallinn’s old town for centuries. One of the most famous Estonian ghost stories involves the theme of avarice and the Devil, as all good spooky stories should. This fantastic ghost story begins with a hooded figure knocking on the door of a house owned by a merchant who had fallen on hard times.
The stranger promised the merchant a bag of gold in exchange for using the top floor of his house for the night. He said he needed it to host a party but that the deal would mean complete privacy for him and his guests.
The merchant was over the moon and immediately agreed to the offer. He promised the party would be completely private and that the hooded man and his guests would not be disturbed. As the guests arrived that evening, the merchant welcomed them, ushered them up the stairs to the top floor, and rubbed his hands together, thinking about the bag of gold he was to be given.
The party got underway and was soon in full swing. Although the merchant tried his hardest not to break his promise, the noise of the party was too much for him to ignore. He snuck up the stairs and took a sneaky peak through the door’s keyhole. What he witnessed shocked him!
The people had horns on their heads and hooves where their feet should have been! His hair turned a shocking white as he realized the beautiful bride was marrying none other than the Devil!
The merchant fled the scene in horror, running down the stairs to hide until the roosters of Tallinn heralded a new day. Once all the guests had left, he gathered his courage and returned to the scene of the revelry. In the middle of the floor was a bag, but instead of gold, it contained dung.
Ever since, it is said that the Devil and his consorts have returned to the room to carry on the debauchery. Creepy noises and spooky sounds coming from the top floor of the building have even caused the mansion’s owner to wall it up.
#2: The Ghosts Of Toomkooli 13
This is the terrifying tale of the von Uexküll family. Legend has it that the Black Lady and the Grey Lady haunt the house to the present day because of their terrible treatment by the lord of the house.
The Grey Lady
To say the von Uexküll family was not very lovely might be an understatement. Legend has it that a beautiful young maid employed by the family caught the attention of the lord of the house. He forced her to become his lover. Having tired of the girl, he decided to have her killed and walled up in the cellar below the house. Horrifically, she may not have been dead when the bricks were set as witnesses claim her ghost still terrifies young men who dare to sleep in the building with her ragged nails she tried to claw herself out with, her stench of death, and her manic laugh.
The Black Lady
This is the sad tale of a girl from the Estonian countryside who fell in love with the lord’s son. Her passion was reciprocated, and the pair announced that they were to be married. However, the boy’s family was less than impressed he was to wed a girl so far below his station. She was invited to Tallinn to meet the family and prepare for the wedding celebrations.
But the cruel lord had other intentions. On the morning of the wedding, the girl was nowhere to be found. The son scoured the city and the countryside looking for his bride but to no avail. If he had searched slightly closer to the home, he might have discovered that his father had had her murdered and buried in the cellar. It is claimed that her apparition still haunts the halls of the mansion, searching for the love who never managed to find her.
#3: St. Olaf’s Church
Not so much a ghost story as a tale of misfortune. St Olaf’s may be one of the tallest and most impressive buildings in Tallinn, but it took a lot of effort to make it so. Legend has it that the building of this 16th-century masterpiece was fraught with tragedy. The city councilors were short of cash, and the contract drawn up for the completion of this mighty church stipulated that payment would only be made when the project was finished. A total of seven master-craftsmen agreed, and a total of seven fell to their deaths.
The project was deemed cursed until a man called Olav appeared and said he would build the tower in exchange for one thousand gold pieces. The price was agreed upon, and work got underway. Olav more than lived up to his part of the bargain, undertaking the most dangerous tasks himself. But, just as he was about to crown the church’s spire with a golden rooster, he slipped and fell off, landing amongst the slightly shocked crowd below.
A toad and a snake are said to have slithered from his mouth, causing some consternation and a declaration that it was the work of the Devil. As if to prove the point, St. Olaf’s Church has been struck by lightning on more than a few occasions since.
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Any story is better when told in the language it was written. By downloading Ling, you can improve your Estonian and better appreciate the country’s spooky history. Ling has more than 60 languages available and a range of lessons, games, and quizzes that make learning any language fun. Download Ling today at Google Play and App Store.
