New recreation center with outdoor pools to be built in Tallinn's Kalamaja district
Tallinn will get a new year-round recreation center with outdoor pools, saunas and public terraces on a vacant site between the Fish Port and Gorhall. Construction is expected to begin in late 2026, with opening in spring/summer 2028.
A vacant lot between the Fish Port and Gorhall in central Tallinn has been an eyesore for years, but a new leisure complex is planned for the site. The project will include three outdoor pools that can be used year-round, saunas, and a public space open to everyone.
Martin Rebane, development director at Kapitel Grupp, said the complex will feature spacious terraces, and summer concerts could be held there. "We want this place to become public. We hope people will like it and a great spot will emerge in the city center," he said.
The concept is borrowed from Helsinki's Allas Pool, a seaside complex in the Finnish capital that is popular with locals and tourists. Finland's Nordic Urban, which manages Allas Pool, will also manage the Tallinn complex.
Architectural firm Arhitekt Must won the design competition. Architect Alvin Järving said the project draws on the history of the Fish Port. Old photos show low piers for fishing boats and higher ones for larger vessels, so the design includes a low promenade, a level with pools, and terraces above.
The city requires the developer to repair the waterfront and build a 250-meter promenade at its own expense. The promenade will end at the partly dilapidated Gorhall area, whose future is still unclear. Tallinn Deputy Mayor Tiit Terik said he hopes a sensible solution will be found for Gorhall so the seaside route can continue toward Pirita. "The area is already planned for walking and cycling, but when we can start implementing it is hard to say today," he added.
Construction is scheduled to start at the end of 2026, with the opening planned for spring or summer 2028.
