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Tuvi (Pigeon) Park

Tuvi (Pigeon) Park

Tuvi Park is located between Veetorni, Tõnismäe, Toomkuninga and Suur‑Ameerika Streets. The present name is pretty conventional and relatively new originating from the name of the Tuvi (Pigeon) Street. It embraces the former Basti, Friedhaim and Köningastthal summer manors and their parks. Friedhaim summer manor used to belong to the artist Karl Ferdinand von Kügelgen, later on, between the two World Wars, it was owned by the general Johan Laidoner. The latter erected a new house on the remains of the foundation of the old one (partially as a copy of the previous manor‑house), which is presently known as Laidoner’s Villa. Big beauty garden, once a part of the villa’s surroundings, forms a part of the today’s park landscape. An impressive residence of the German Embassy, the former building of which has been destroyed, could once be seen at one end of the park before the World War II. A large ceremonial 6‑metres-wide limestone staircase was constructed in 1930‑ies to connect the park with Suur‑Ameerika (Big America) Street. Most of the surrounding buildings were destroyed during the bombing in the March 1944, thus the park got also heavily damaged. In 1950−1970 the park was a home for the pilot garden and the greenhouses of the central house of the Young Friends of Nature. The sports grounds (the so‑called Lastetaadion, i.e. Children’s Stadium) were constructed at the verge of Suur-Ameerika Street in 1970‑ies. The park got heavily damaged in the storm of 1967, only few ancient trees of the summer manors survived. The park, neglected and run wild in the‑1980‑ies, has been constantly and steadily refurbished since 2003.

Last modified 23.06.2022