2-969-822 - /Heritage Images

Reval, at the South Entrance to the Gulf of Finland, 1856. View of an '...important city of Esthonia...a very rich trading place, having a very fine harbour...well fortified. It is much frequented by the wealthy Russians in summer as a bathing place. Reval or Revel is divided into the upper and lower town; the former perched upon a rocky cliff... The lower town, the descent to which is very steep, is of considerable extent, has many broad streets, stretching to the flat sandy shore of the harbour...The lofty spire, shown somewhat leftward of the centre of the View, is that of St. Olaf, about 250 English feet high, and serving as a landmark in navigation...The Russians took Reval from the Swedes in 1710: it was formerly the great emporium of the Hanseatic league for the trade of Novogorod [sic]. The population is about 18,000, which number is, however, much increased by summer visitors'. From "Illustrated London News", 1856.