The church roof is likely the oldest in Estonia to be made of copper, and has inevitably been heavily weathered over time.

Researchers have determined that the wood used for the roof's construction came from trees felled in or around the 1690s.

This dates the entire eastern section of the church to after the Great Fire of Toompea in 1684.

Exactly when the church was first founded is unknown, though the first records of a temporary wooden church at the site date back to 1219.

The church is the seat of the Archbishop of Tallinn, the head of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church (EELK), currently Urmas Viilma.

EELK pastor Arho Tuhrku, who leads St. Mary's congregation, told "Aktuaalne kaamera": "In other words each generation is responsible for the heritage entrusted to them. When you have a roof that is 330, almost 340 years old, even the strongest copper gets brittle, and thin. Cracks need to be sealed, strengthened, and riveted."

While several church towers in Estonia are open to visitors, including

The just under 70-meter-high bell tower is usually open to the public.

The work on this medieval gable tower is specialized, skilled and costly, and has been supported by the City of Tallinn, the state, and the church congregation.

Like many such projects, the work has revealed its fair share of discoveries, including a small decorative detail in stone of "Christ the Pantocrator."

Very little remains — only half a finger and half a head, however, Pastor Tuhrku noted.

"We want to better highlight these details so that people viewing from afar can see some of the beautiful and marvelous medieval elements of the church," he added.

While the current work is due for a November completion, next year, work on the eastern façade of the church is planned to start.

This will be accompanied by preparatory work on the altar area, ahead of interior renovations.

The Dome Church may have far more secrets to yield yet. Even as work has reached the roof and tower, only the surface has been scratched, so far, of what lies beneath the structure.

The "Aktuaalne kaamera" segment is here.

The church stands at the heart of Toompea, itself long the official seat of power in Estonia and home of both the Riigikogu and government offices today. According to legend, the hill was originally a funereal tumulus constructed over Kalev's grave.

The area suffered several major fires in recorded history, from the Middle Ages through to the early modern period as was common in cities across Europe, but the 1684 was the largest in scale, destroying most of the buildings in the former Great Castle, including the cathedral

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