During Estonia's period of Swedish rule (16th and 17th Centuries) Narva was a thriving merchant town. Activity was centred around a beautiful collection of tile-roofed houses in what's now called Old Town. Sadly, the area was flattened during World War Two and later filled in with nondescript block apartments. One of the three buildings that survived the war was the Town Hall, on Raekoja plats, adjacent Suur tn. The Northern Baroque edifice was built from 1668 - 1671 by architect Georg Teuffel, and its beauty continues to shine through, despite its current need for paint. Plans are underway to restore it to its original function.