Description of the attraction
The first information about the Brotherhood of Blackheads dates back to 1399. Only young unmarried merchants could become members of this association. When they got married, they could only apply to join the Brotherhood. Foreign merchants temporarily residing in Tallinn could also join the guild. The Brotherhood got its name in honor of Saint Mauritius. His image can be seen on the coat of arms of this association. Although it is not known why the young merchants named their brotherhood after the black saint. This guild operated only on the territory of Estonia and Latvia, in other countries it was practically unknown. The Chernogolovites were rich and influential. In addition to trade, members of the brotherhood were patrons of the arts. And they managed to maintain this status for quite a long time.
In 1597, the famous sculptor and architect Arent Passer reconstructed a Gothic building bought by the order for their own needs, which has survived to this day and is called the house of the Brotherhood of Blackheads. The architect managed to give the house expressive features characteristic of the Renaissance. The main element of the facade of the building is the design of the central entrance. The arch is decorated with masks of lions. In addition, on the stone slabs located here on both sides of the main entrance, the brotherhood's coat of arms is carved, which is a shield with the image of the head of St. Maurice. The architect decorated the building of the brotherhood with all kinds of reliefs and sculptures. Among them you can see the coats of arms of the drawing-rooms of some cities of the Hanseatic League, images of Sigismund and Queen Anne of Austria, reliefs symbolizing peace and justice, as well as the image of Christ.
The exterior of the House of the Brotherhood of Blackheads, and especially its façade, is the best example of Renaissance architecture in Tallinn. The facade of the building, created at the end of the 16th century, has retained its original appearance to this day. It was updated only in 1982-85. Polish restoration company PKZ (architect T. Mixon, interior A. Maasik). However, the interior premises, which have undergone numerous reconstructions and redevelopments, do not have great historical value.
