At midnight on 4 July, one of the largest medieval shipwrecks in Europe, which was discovered during the construction of the Lootsi Street office building, will arrive at the Seaplane Harbour, where the Estonian Maritime Museum will conserve and exhibit it.
‘The Lootsi cog is a magnificent discovery and must be preserved and displayed. The wrecks of the Maasilinn ship and the Kadriorg cog exhibited in our museum have attracted visitors from all over Estonia and elsewhere for years. The new, larger, and better-preserved wreck tells an even more exciting story. To highlight this, we are building a ship hangar in the Seaplane Harbour area, where we will preserve the Lootsi cog. We will do our best so that those interested can visit the area to explore what is being done,’ said Urmas Dresen, Head of the Estonian Maritime Museum.
The shipwreck will arrive at the Seaplane Harbour outdoor area from the construction site of the Lootsi Street office building on the night of 4–5 July.
‘Every moment of the three months of work has been extraordinary. Everything related to the find required unprecedented solutions – how to excavate it, what to do with it, and how to transport it to the museum. Luckily, we found the solutions with experts and now, the unique find that is important for all of us will find a new home at the Estonian Maritime Museum. We will do our best to ensure that the office building will carry the dignity of the cog,’ said construction manager Tarmo Mill.
The Lootsi cog is made even more valuable by the artefacts that were discovered with it.
‘The site was a treasure trove. In addition to the many expected finds, there were several unique finds. For example, we discovered a metal compass and a wind rose from the stern of the ship. In the hold, we discovered tar with the remains of ship rats. The upcoming research will provide answers to questions about their origin, manufacture, and use. We will thereby start a new chapter in the history of Estonian medieval maritime affairs,’ confirmed archaeologist Mihkel Tammet, who led the excavations.
A detailed overview of the Lootsi cog, the related works, and its transport will be given at a press conference at 10.30 a.m. on 4 July. The press conference will be held by the Head of the Estonian Maritime Museum Urmas Dresen, archaeologist Mihkel Tammet, archaeologist Ragnar Nurk of the Urban Planning Department of Tallinn, and construction manager Tarmo Mill. The press conference can be watched on the social media channel of the Estonian Maritime Museum.
