The Österby fire station was originally built in the 1930s, but fully restored in 1998. It is a place that is closely connected to the social lives of the people who lived during the period of the first Estonian republic. The stone jetty, meanwhile, which is 265 metres long, was constructed in the early 20th century by local farmers.
Did you know…?
*There was a regular boat service between Österby and Haapsalu until 1994
Haapsalu Kaubamaja department store, located in the heart of Haapsalu, is home to a wide range of stores, interesting services, and different eateries. Coop shopping centre is located on the ground floor.
Club Africa is located in the most popular place in Haapsalu, right in the heart of the city. On the first floor of the building, there is Pub Africa, and in the basement, there is Nightclub Africa.
Africa is one of the first nightclubs in Estonia, opened in 1994. To create the milieu-like interior of the club, sculptor Tauno Kangro’s erotic sculptures in an African style have been used.
Comfortable furniture and an interesting lighting solution give the club a truly pleasant and cosy atmosphere. The high-quality lighting equipment and a decent sound system guarantee a party mood and make the club visitors dance.
Risti railway station was the place from where most of the deportees from Läänemaa – almost 3000 people – were deported to Siberia. The monument designed by Viljar Ansko “The railway rails remember…” has been placed on a small freight platform with stone stairs on both sides. Four rails reach for the sky from the four corners of the platform. The rails are joined into a cross with two horizontal bars just before the top. At night the monument is illuminated diagonally by four spotlights installed inside the railway platform. The height of the monument is almost 13 metres. Besides commemorating the mass deportations in recent history, the cross also symbolises the history of the small railway town Risti.
Driving on the highway through Taebla you will see Lääne-Nigula Church. The building was restored in 1816, the steeple dates back to 1882. The height of the church is 52.2 metres of which the spire is 26.7 metres.
There is an old cemetery around the church. You will find the old crosses and headstones in the cemetery interesting. The present interior design of the church dates back to the 19th century. The magnificent Empire style altar wall was made by master Sigismund from St Petersburg. Interesting facts: The altar paintings “Last Supper” and “Resurrection” are copies of Leonardo da Vinci’s paintings.
Rannarootsi Centre is a safe and cosy environment for shopping and spending leisure time. It is also a perfect meeting place.
The centre aims to be the shopping and leisure centre of choice among the locals.
Osmussaar is unique for its interesting nature and history. The island was first inhabited by the Estonian Swedes; after the WWII, Osmussaar became a restricted border zone with a Soviet military base.
The island is 4.8 kilometres long and 1.6 kilometres wide. Its highest spot is 8 metres high. Osmussaar probably rose from the sea 3,000 years ago. The landscape is characteristic for its limestone shore, breccia boulders, vast shingle mould areas, and juniper shrubland.
At the northwestern tip of the island on the cliff coast, a reinforced concrete lighthouse, built in 1954, can be found. The lighthouse has been open for visitors since 2019.
Ungru Manor is one of the most impressive neo-baroque buildings in Estonia, although the castle was never fully completed. It is an imposing building, which is an almost exact copy of the Merseburg Castle in Germany. Behind the construction of the manor was a sad love story:
Count Ungern-Sternberg fell in love with the daughter of the lord of Merseburg Castle, who had promised to spend her entire life in Merseburg Castle. The count promised to build an exact replica of the building and she agreed to move there. However, the construction stopped when the count’s lover suddenly fell ill and died.
These are mystical ruins in a beautiful place, making it a wonderful place for taking pictures!
The church erected in 1896–1897 on the site of the old graveyard in Haapsalu was dedicated to Alexander Nevsky. A Moscow style tent roof crowned with a small onion dome and a vestibule with a belfry were added according to the project by architect A. F. Krassovsky from St. Petersburg.
The original iconostasis based on the drawings by academician Šaub is now at the orthodox church in Kiviõli, where it was transferred in 1962 after the church was closed.
The church was used as a venue for funerals all year round. A stove was built in the church in the middle of the 20th century and then it was used as the winter church. At the moment the Haapsalu Mary Magdalene (Alexander Nevsky) parish of the Estonian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate uses the church.
Olev’s Church in Nõva originating from the 18th century is a cosy wooden beach-chapel-style church. The unique parchment images on its windows look like real stained glass at first glance. It is one of the few wooden churches preserved in Estonia, and also one of the smallest, measuring at only 13.6 x 7.1 metres.
When walking around in the churchyard, take a closer look at the iron crosses there. The crosses made by local blacksmiths are all unique – even the landlady von Ungern-Sternberg of Nõva Manor made herself her own cross. Interesting facts: When inside, take a look at the benches – benches for men and women have a different design. On top of the roof, there is a figure of a rooster. The organ was built by G.Terkmann.
Poet Ernst Enno came to Haapsalu in 1919, when he became a school adviser in Lääne County. His Haapsalu period was not the peak of his career, but it was here that he wrote his best children’s songs. If you are walking on the Haapsalu embankment stop by the park named for him and monument dedicated to him.
Interesting facts: Ernst Enno’s grave is in Haapsalu’s Old Cemetery, where many famous cultural figures rest under the indigenous trees. The author of the monument is Roman Haavamägi, whose is famous for his sculptures, including monuments that are located primarily in Haapsalu.
Haapsalu is the childhood hometown of the Ilon Wikland, illustrator of the books by world famous children’s book author Astrid Lindgren. In the 1930s she lived with her grandparents in a yellow house on the corner of Linda and Rüütli streets. Wikland emigrated to Sweden in 1944. Her time in Haapsalu brought small town motifs to her drawings. In Ilon’s work you will find images of Haapsalu’s wooden houses, fortress walls and railway station.
Interesting to know: Ilon Wikland donated 800 of her original drawings to Haapsalu as a gift. They are displayed in a gallery opened on Kooli street on the site of the children’s theme park Ilon’s Wonderland. Ilon’s childhood home can only be viewed from the outside.