{"id":24578,"date":"2026-09-27T20:26:13","date_gmt":"2026-09-27T17:26:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vana.ajakirimaja.ee\/keskturg-in-memoriam\/"},"modified":"2026-09-28T10:17:46","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T07:17:46","slug":"in-memoriam-the-central-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vana.ajakirimaja.ee\/en\/in-memoriam-the-central-market\/","title":{"rendered":"In Memoriam: The Central Market"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

What follows is an eclectic tribute to Tallinn\u2019s Central Market (Keskturg)\u2014a place where the criminal and corrupt shadow of a murky past intertwines with everyday market news and daily gossip about potatoes, sugar, and coffee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Originally, the redevelopment of the Central Market\u2014more precisely, its replacement with a small market square and a residential area with 280 apartments\u2014was supposed to begin in 2025.* When that news broke about two years ago, there was already grief, even as the market was still pulsating in the heart of the city.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a>
Photos in the collage: Marta Vaarik, Kai Lobjakas, J\u00f6rn Frenzel, Elisabeth Klement, Margit S\u00e4de. Excerpt from the magazine, design: Unt\/Tammik<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Each time I visit now, I notice more and more of eye-catching and soul-enriching diversity of this self-organised space that has so far escaped the fatal cut of gentrification. There is still time to have gratitude for this parallel universe\u2014its handmade signs, customised stools, unbelievable shop windows, and, of course, its delicious pickles and greasy pies. And the people! The lady behind the counter surely knows better than you what you would like. Prices are flexible, scales are \u2018roughly accurate\u2019, and there is always some vendor offering something you never knew you needed\u2014Ukrainian honey, Georgian persimmons, or a mystical knife that \u2018can even cut water\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a>
Concept design for the Central Market pavilion, ground floor plan. Architect: Olga Bruns<\/em>.
Museum of Estonian Architecture.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

This is precisely why you should go there right now, before all that market bustle subsides and one more public place gives way to yet another apartment complex with sleek fa\u00e7ades and a tamed sparrow sculpture. Hurry, while the Central Market still breathes and trades in its own unique and organic way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"\"<\/a>
Photos: Arvi Kriis, Dmitri Prants, Rahvusarhiiv<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"\"<\/a>
Photos: Arvi Kriis, I. Lvova, Rahvusarhiiv<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

*As of today, construction will begin in 2027.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

MARGIT S\u00c4DE<\/strong> is a bricoleur, curator, and one of the initiators of Logi Sauna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

HEADER: The clippings in the collage on the previous page are from \u00c4rip\u00e4ev, Eesti P\u00e4evaleht, and S\u00f5numileht from the years 1998-2000.\u00a0
PUBLISHED: MAJA 3\/4-2025 (121-122), with main topic WORK AND FOOD<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What follows is an eclectic tribute to Tallinn\u2019s Central Market (Keskturg)\u2014a place where the criminal and corrupt shadow of a murky past intertwines with everyday market news and daily gossip about potatoes, sugar, and coffee.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":24579,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"generate_page_header":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[125],"tags":[336],"class_list":["post-24578","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mediation","tag-3-4-2025-121-122-work-and-food","infinite-scroll-item"],"yoast_head":"\nIn Memoriam: The Central Market - MAJA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/vana.ajakirimaja.ee\/en\/in-memoriam-the-central-market\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"In Memoriam: The Central Market - 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