Tallinn's Old Town now boasts a working historic freight hoist.
The historic freight hoist was restored and brought back into working order in the attic of the Tallinn City Archives building on Tolli tänav.
The wheel, which measures 3.4 meters in diameter, is believed to be the only functioning historic hoist in Tallinn. In the Middle Ages, however, almost every building had one.
Juhan Kreem, a researcher at the Tallinn City Archives, said every medieval building needed a hoisting mechanism in its attic because storage areas were located on the second and third floors.
"This particular example is much more recent. The building was in ruins in the 17th century and was not renovated until the 18th century when it was converted into a warehouse for the customs authorities. They needed a hoisting mechanism again, so they began assembling one from various components, the oldest of which may have come from a shipwreck or leftover materials at the harbor," Kreem said.
The freight hoist preserved at the City Archives dates back to the 19th century and has a 34.5-meter-long lifting rope.
During reconstruction work carried out in 2025, access to the historic hoisting mechanism was improved, making it possible to demonstrate how it works to visitors and conduct lifting demonstrations in the future.
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