Colourised photo of Harju Street. The intersection of Niguliste and Kullassepa streets in 1905. On the left stands the Writers' House, and on the right, the monument to Eduard Vilde.
The building on the corner belonged to Adolf Klaff who once owned Tallinn’s oldest stationery and office supply business. He established his business in 1883 at Harju Street 20, and in 1938, the business moved to Harju Street 21.
Harju Street was one of Tallinn’s oldest streets for merchants and artisans. From the 19th century onwards, the city's commercial life began to concentrate there, and by the early years of the Republic of Estonia, it had gradually developed into one of the city's most important business districts.
Many of the buildings on Harju street were destroyed or severely damaged during the Soviet bombing raids of March 1944 but we have these old photographs to remind us how they once were.
