Paldiski - Soviet-era closed city Military town

The town of Paldiski (historically known as Rågervik) is located on the north coast of Estonia on the Pakri peninsula.

It has been an important port since the Great Northern War. In 1718, Russian Emperor Peter the Great ordered the construction of a fortified seaport and other military facilities here, turning the town into one of the most important naval bases in the empire.

In summers during the interwar period of Estonian independence, Paldiski was a training site for armoured trains. As a result of the Mutual Assistance Pact forced upon the Republic of Estonia by the Soviet Union in 1939, Paldiski fell under the control of the Red Army. Paldiski Naval Base was formed and further fortifications were constructed. The Paldiski region was of significant importance in the coastal defence system of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet. In the 1960s, one of only three nuclear submarine training centres in the Soviet Union (equipped with a mock-up of a nuclear submarine) was opened in Paldiski. The town and the Pakri islands were closed to the public and kept secret. Paldiski had two nuclear reactors, which have since been encased in concrete.

Soviet-era buildings have become a rare sight in Paldiski. The bastions of Peter the Great's Naval Fortress are open to tourists: https://visitharju.ee/et/node/9682.