A street-level public civil defense shelter in the heart of downtown Tallinn has been transformed with a mural featuring Estonian trees and wildlife.
Located next to Kalev Sports Hall in Tiigiveski Park, the modular concrete shelter cannot withstand a direct missile hit, but it can protect around 20 people from blast waves, shrapnel and debris from an explosion as close as 50 meters away.
Similar shelters are already widely used in Ukraine, including in Kramatorsk.
The concrete module, donated by security company Citysec, is also now fully wrapped in a woodland mural by Colorees Art's Helena Hanni and Vahur Agar, featuring a wild hare, a bear family, an owl in flight and a wolf.
While usually kept closed in peacetime, the shelter was open to visitors on Friday, when officials were on hand to explain its features to the public.
City weighs dozens more shelters
Citysec CEO Eduard Rikkas said the module was developed on a 50-50 basis with partners in Ukraine, where the design has already been in use for years.
Deputy Mayor Tiit Terik (Center) said the shelter door can be opened remotely during an emergency, and will unlock automatically if power or communications fail.
The shelter door, he added, will be kept locked in peacetime.
Tallinn has mapped 40 to 50 potential sites for similar shelters, with public procurement to follow if the city decides to order more.
According to the manufacturer, the shelter model installed on Juhkentali tänav costs up to €70,000.
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