In 2023, with the support of Merko, a tower lift was completed in St Nicholas’ Church – which is now a branch of the Art Museum of Estonia – giving everyone access to stunning views of the city of Tallinn, including museum visitors with special needs and those who use mobility aids. The glass lift passes through three floors and provides access to the mediaeval bell tower. From a height of 50 metres, visitors can enjoy a unique 360-degree panoramic view of the city of Tallinn and Tallinn bay. In addition, a new exhibition and gallery space has been opened on the first floor of the Small Chapel. As a long-standing partner of the Art Museum of Estonia, we were delighted to be involved in the project as both a consultant and a supporter. The project was recognised as the Tallinn Tourism Achievement (Turismitegu) 2023.

The lift and the sky deck, completed during the extensive construction, are unique in Estonia and fully wheelchair accessible. The old stairway also remains open, allowing visitors to explore the architecture of the mediaeval bell tower and view an exhibition of church bells as they ascend. Since the St Nicholas’ Church itself lacks a bell, the tower now serves as a shelter for homeless church bells from various museum and private collections.

The idea of making the restored tower of St Nicholas’ Church accessible to the public by adding exhibition areas and a viewing platform, as well as installing a lift, was conceived in the 1970s. Despite facing obstacles at the time, a lift shaft was constructed during the restoration and renovation process, passing through the intermediate floors of the tower. This development allowed the Art Museum of Estonia to revisit the idea in the early 2000s. In 2019, the museum applied for updated special heritage conservation conditions to restore and reconstruct the floors of the historic bell tower as well as the Small Chapel situated in the north part of the church. The completed project involved extending the lift to reach the museum hall on the ground floor, ensuring wheelchair access to the tower. In addition, it proposed expanding the exhibition space in the Small Chapel and adding another floor.