Tallinn Tutor

In the late 1930s, the quarry began to be excavated for open mining of limestone and Vasalemma marble. The latter is a specific kind of limestone with its structure and texture resembling that of marble. During the Soviet era, until the 1990s, excavation was performed as hard labour by Murru and Rummu prisoners, who would excavate and process limestone from the water-drained quarry. When pumping of water ceased, the quarry quickly filled with groundwater, forming a lake, immersing some of the utility buildings and machinery. Next to the lake is the Vasalemma spoil tip (slag heap). Over time, the spoil tip assumed a unique appearance through erosion by water. The Rummu open-air prison was merged with the Murru prison in 2001, then in 2004 those were merged with the Harku women's prison. On 31 December 2012, all of these prisons closed permanently.

Toompea has been the centre of power in Estonia for 800 years. In the course of times, vice-regents of Denmark, commanders of the Livonian Order and the Swedish and Russian governors have ruled the territories of Estonia from here. In the first decades of the Republic of Estonia, Toompea Castle was also the residence of the state elders, and for a long time the Government of the Republic of Estonia worked here together with the parliament – the Riigikogu. At present Toompea Castle is occupied by the Riigikogu. In the course of centuries, Toompea Castle has turned from a medieval fortress into a modern centre of government. Besides the 101 members of the Riigikogu, about 251 officials of the Chancellery of the Riigikogu work here.