In front of the Hestia Hotel Haapsalu, on the shore of Väike Viik in Haapsalu, you will find Juhan Raudsepp’s sculpture ‘Stick-breaker’. It symbolises someone who has recovered from their illness in Haapsalu and breaks their walking stick in half, since they no longer need it.

Interesting facts: In 1992 the sculpture was stolen and broken up into four pieces. To the disappointment of the thieves, it proved to be hollow, so they sold the sculpture. Thankfully the pieces were recovered and the sculpture was restored to its former glory.

Haapsalu City Gallery showcases and promotes the artistic life not only of Haapsalu itself, but of Estonia as a whole. Located in newly refurbished premises in the Haapsalu Cultural Centre, the gallery is spacious and full of light, making it the perfect place to exhibit paintings and graphic art or even photography or ceramics.

On the Promenade make a stop at the monument to Carl Abraham Hunniuse (1797-1851), who established the resort of Haapsalu.

Dr. Hunnius was the first to notice that the local residents used the sea mud to find relief for their ailments and was inspired to start investigating the properties of the mud. At his initiative, the first therapeutic mud baths were established in Haapsalu in 1825.

Interesting fact: Haapsalu was named an Imperial resort, and Russian Tsars Nicholas I, Alexander II, Alexander III and Nicholas II and their families all vacationed here and took the mud baths.

Come and try a Haapsalu therapeutic mud bath in the Hestia and Fra Mare Spa hotels!

The creative work of Epp Maria Kokamägi, one of Estonia’s most famous artists, includes oil paintings, watercolours, book design and theatre and film design. The building, which was built as a café during Estonia’s first period of independence, now houses a gallery over two floors, where exhibitions change according to the seasons. In addition to Epp Maria’s wonderful paintings, you can also enjoy the paintings and furniture created by her husband Jaak Arro, the ceramics of Liisu Arro and the paintings of Imbi Lind.

Noarootsi Church in late-Gothic style was built around 1500. You will first notice the Falu red plank roof – the church is one of the three plank-roof churches in Estonia. In the medieval times the lime and rubble stone building also had the function of being a fortified church.
Inside the church one should pay attention to the baptising stone, baroque pulpit, limestone baroque epitaph to Minister Martin Winter. Interesting facts: By the entrance there is a stone slab with royal autographs from the present King of Sweden – Carl XVI Gustav who visited Noarootsi in 1992. Across the road from the church you will see the oldest wooden building in Läänemaa – the parsonage originating from the 17th century.

The world-famous Russian composer Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky stayed in Haapsalu in 1867. To commemorate him, a memorial bench was erected on the Šokolaadi Promenaad (Chocolate Promenade), where the maestro loved to watch the sunrise from the shore and marvel at the swans.

Interesting to know: in Haapsalu, Tchaikovsky continued to work on his opera ‘Voyevoda’ and composed the cycle of piano pieces ‘Souvenir de Hapsal.’ After having heard the Estonian folk song “Dear Mary”, he later used the melody in his famous VI Symphony, the first notes of the tune were also carved into the dolomite memorial bench. Today, the bench is equipped with a technical solution with the aid of which you can listen to the composer’s music and information related to him.