The historic wooden railway station in Haapsalu houses a museum with outdoor and indoor exhibitions about the history of Estonian railway transport and communications.

In the outdoor area, you can see Estonia’s only preserved diesel train driver’s car and the oldest preserved broad-gauge railway steam locomotive! The museum offers personal guided tours and visitor programs. The station building itself consists of four parts, including a unique 216 m long platform, which at one time was the longest in Europe!

Today, the platform is one of the most popular photo spots in Haapsalu.

Haeska Ceramics is located on the northern shore of Matsalu Bay. Margit Mald, a ceramist, lives and works there.
Most of her works are regular household items, burned at a high temperature of 1,260 degrees. The aim of the artist is to create simple products which turn to life when food is placed on them, creating positive emotions. Here, you will also find unique pottery, which gives you the opportunity to play with material, form, and technique.

The Estonian Orthodox Church of Mary Magdalene is located on the Haapsalu Promenade. The family of the Russian Emperor Nicholas I attended the opening of the church in 1852. The church was restored to its present state and it is open as an Othodox place of worship in 2001. The church is open on Sundays from 9am to noon. To visit at other times, please contact us in advance. The church windows are decorated with stained glass by artist Dolores Hoffmann. The illustrator Ilon Wikland lived with her grandmother and grandfather in the church house during 1938-1944 at Linda 2.

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.

The works of Evald Okas, a great figure in the Estonian art world and an honorary member of the Florence Art Academy, can be found in museum collections in Estonia and abroad. This museum has been enriching the art life of Haapsalu since 2003. The primary attraction is the constantly changing permanent exposition and exhibits in the museum gallery.

Did you know…?
*The building, constructed in the mid-19th century as a tavern, has a unique atmosphere
*You can take part in art courses and attend interesting exhibitions
*Since 1939, Okas’ works have been displayed in 50 solo exhibitions