However, ETV current affairs show "Ringvaade" reported, the minister has not been inside the building, on Pikk tänav, easily identifable by its ornate front door, which is often used in tourism promo materials.

With that in mind and the fact that many others may not have crossed the threshold of Pikk 26, "Ringvaade" and presenter Marko Reikop did just that, to find out what the house has to offer.

The House of the Blackheads is unique in Tallinn in having the only remaining Renaissance facade in the capital.

The building's (from a western perspective rather dubious – ed.) name derives from the patron saint of the Brotherhood of Blackheads, Saint Maurice, a Roman legionnaire from North Africa who lived in the 3rd century.

He was later canonized by the church for refusing to put to death Christians and dying a martyr as a result (Riga, too, has a House of the Blackheads – ed.) and is is the patron saint of several professions, locales, and kingdoms.

Architectural historian Oliver Orro told "Ringvaade" that: "Such fraternities were quite common in the late medieval and early modern periods. It wasn't a religious brotherhood as such, where people took monastic vows, but rather more of a guild for young merchants; an organization which donated status."

This did not mean the building was closed to all but members of the brotherhood; it also hosted many guests, he said, though these tended to be from a certain demographic, too.

"It wasn't just some boy's club; local elites and older merchants frequented here too," Orro went on.

"Sometimes there were events to which women were invited, with dances, conversation and big parties. It was always one of the most prestigious focal points of the city."

Historically, the Blackheads organization were highly regarded, though had something of a reputation too.

"Though they were also considered a bit arrogant, the Blackheads were respected as they had military obligations to the city, and as wealthy young businessmen, they made significant donations to other churches in Tallinn, especially the Dominican friary," Orro went on.

The Dominicans, the blackfriars, were one of two major mendicant orders in medieval Europe and were mostly town-based; the ruins of a Dominican friary, St. Catherine's, are on Vene tänav and a small community of Dominicans remains present in Tallinn.

The house remains intact but would have been silent witness to much upheaval in Tallinn, formerly Reval, down the centuries.

The House of the Blackheads's present-day interior was created by Aet Maasik in the 1980s, and is now under heritage protection.

Its centerpiece room is the Valge saal (white hall), which has a noteworthy arched ceiling, with acoustics which make it suitable as a concert hall.

This room was restored in 2006, when it hosted a reception for no less a guest than the late Queen Elizabeth II.

The private and opulent, oval-shaped room, refurbished for the Queen, is now used as a technical storage room.

Another significant chamber is the Olavi gildi saal (St. Olaf's guild hall) where concerts are also held.

This room dates back to the 15th century and is one of the best-preserved secular rooms from that period. "The Olavi gildi saal often included people involved in building and shipping."

"Many members hailed from Estonia, Finland, and Scandinavia, hence the Scandinavian saint, King Olaf II of Norway, being picked as their patron saint," Orro added.

In addition to German, Estonian and Finnish could thus also be heard echoing round the guild hall.

Saint Olaf was a very important saint in medieval Tallinn; indeed, we have a Saint Olaf's church in the Old Town.

The House of the Blackheads is undergoing major renovations right now also: Heating, electrical, and ventilation systems are being replaced, along with the drainage system and other utilities.

Additionally, an elevator will be installed for the first time, following the permission of the heritage protection authority (Muinsuskaitseamet), to improve accessibility.

The Blackheads fraternity left Estonia before World War II and was subsequently based in Hamburg.

During the Soviet era, the building was used as one of that regime's many "culture palaces," Initially named after Jaan Tomp (1894-1924, an Estonian communist executed during the period of the First Estonian Republic – ed.) it and later renamed to the Jaan Kreuks cultural palace, after another Estonian communist.

Back in the 1970s, the building housed concerts and also discos, "Ringvaade" reported.

The original "Ringvaade" segment is below.

It was reported last month that Finance Minister Mart Võrklaev had asked the City of Tallinn for clarification on the use of the House of the Black Heads, specifically whether the part-return of its ownership to the brotherhood would hinder the City of Tallinn's scope for organizing cultural events there.

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