reval

Reval is the historical German name for Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia. In German, Russian, and some other languages, the city has long been referred to as Reval. Today, Tallinn is the official name in Estonian and in most contemporary usages; Reval appears primarily in historical sources, literature, and older maps.

Overview and significance

Reval developed as a Baltic port on the Gulf of Finland and emerged as a major trading center in the Middle Ages. It was a prominent member of the Hanseatic League and served as a key gateway between Western Europe and the Baltic region. The city’s merchants traded in timber, grain, and amber, helping to shape maritime commerce in the area.

Political history

The town came under various rulers over the centuries. After the Livonian War, it passed into Swedish control in the 16th century. In the early 18th century, following the Great Northern War, Reval was ceded to the Russian Empire by the Treaty of Nystad in 1721. The name Reval continued to be used in Russian and some other languages for a time, even as Tallinn became established as the capital of the independent Estonian state in the 20th century.

Modern usage

In modern contexts, Reval is largely confined to historical discussion, cartography, and scholarly works about the city’s medieval past. The name Tallinn is used in official and everyday references, while Reval remains a historical exonym encountered mainly in older sources.

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