Isn’t it odd that there’s a well in the middle of a square? And why do you think it’s painted black? Well, it’s time for another spooky story on our Tallinn walking tour! So, listen closely. If you’re a cat lover, you might want to brace yourself, but if you’re feeling brave, here’s the tale: In medieval Tallinn, this old well was one of the main sources of water for the city. However, it became the center of a dark legend. The well sometimes produced eerie, unexplained sounds, leading townspeople to believe that a demon lurked at its depths. Fearing that the demon would cause the well to dry up if not appeased, the villagers came up with a cruel idea: they decided to toss live cats into the well. They believed that sacrificing these animals might calm the demon or prevent its disturbances. Tragically, the cats were left to die from thirst, starvation, or exposure. Poor cats! Thankfully, the well fell into disuse by the mid-nineteenth century, and now Tallinn’s water is much safer to drink. The poor cats no longer live in fear of being sacrificed! But we’re not done yet. Look around, especially at the buildings. Just beside the ""cat’s well,"" you’ll find a building with a painted window. This is connected to one of Tallinn’s most famous legends. It revolves around an old hotel on this street, and the story has been told and retold in various forms over the centuries. Here’s one version of the tale: On a bitterly cold winter’s night, a desperate hotel owner, facing ruin due to a lack of guests, decided to end his life. Just as he prepared for his final moments, a sudden, forceful knock on the door interrupted him. A stranger entered, asking to rent a top-floor room for a party until dawn. The stranger promised a generous payment but insisted that no one was to eavesdrop on the festivities. As night fell, carriages arrived, and guests poured into the hotel. The party was unlike anything the owner had ever seen—music, dancing, and revelry that seemed to shake the very foundations of the building. Despite the stranger’s instructions, the owner’s curiosity got the better of him. He crept upstairs and peered through the keyhole of the party room. What he saw through the keyhole was horrifying: the Devil’s Wedding. The room was filled with infernal guests, engaged in a sinister celebration. Different versions of the tale diverge here. Some say that the owner found a bag of gold the next morning, but when he touched it, it turned into horse dung, causing him to collapse and die. Others describe the room being covered in hoof and claw marks. Regardless of the exact details, the shocking news of the Devil's presence in Tallinn reached the Town Hall. They ordered the room to be sealed off permanently, bricking up the entrance and filling in the window to ensure no one could ever enter again. Today, at number sixteen Rataskaevu Street in Tallinn’s Old Town, a house bears a painted image of a window, marking the place where the Devil’s Wedding is said to have occurred. Fascinating, isn’t it?