Exhibition “Narva 54”

Before World War II, Narva’s Old Town was one of the most beautiful and architecturally cohesive historic city centers in Estonia. In March 1944, Soviet air raids destroyed a large part of the city, followed by heavy fighting that lasted until July 26, when the Red Army captured Narva. By the end of the year, the whole of Estonia was under Soviet occupation.

Although many of the Old Town’s buildings were still structurally sound and could have been restored, a decision was made in 1947 to place the ruins under heritage protection. Estonian architects and art historians prepared detailed restoration plans, similar to the efforts undertaken in Western Europe. However, due to a lack of political will, the choice was made not to preserve the ruins but to demolish them.

Demolition began immediately after the war and escalated significantly in the 1950s. Many buildings that could have been restored were systematically destroyed and replaced with typical Soviet apartment blocks. Today, only a handful of pre-war buildings in Narva’s Old Town remain, while the majority of the urban landscape is dominated by Soviet-era construction.
The exhibition “Narva 54” focuses on the decisions and events that sealed the fate of Narva’s Old Town in the post-war period. It serves as a continuation of the earlier exhibition “Narva 44.” This time, the exhibition explores what happened to the ruined city and why the decision was made to demolish rather than restore it.

The exhibition features historical photographs, documents, and architectural drafts from various Estonian museums and archives, including the Narva Museum and the National Archives of Estonia. These materials provide insight into how and why Narva came to look the way it does today.
The exhibition is open to the public free of charge and is located in the park of Narva Castle.

• Curator: Madis Tuuder
• Сonsultant: Zurab Jänes
• Project manager: Anne Raud
• Editors: Zurab Jänes
• Proofreader: Kristiina Sarjas
• Translation: Anastassia Belitško-Popovych
• Graphic design: Janne Jaagant
• Partners: Eesti Ajaloomuuseum SA, Eesti sõjamuuseum - kindral Laidoneri muuseum, Kultuurkapital SA