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 Risti water tower from the Tsar era is part of the Risti railway station complex. The railway station with the railroad lines was built in 1904, the station building was completed a year later, the water tower was probably built in the same period.

The water tower was used to supply water to steam locomotives. There was a water tank or a reservoir at the top of the tower and a water heater or a boiler on the lower floor. The boiler was used to prevent the water from freezing in the tank.

You can go to the reservoir along the historical spiral staircase. On the ground floor, you can see the tools of the time and an exhibition describing the work in the watertower.

Haapsalu’s main street, Karja, begins at the Swedish Market. The name of the street (“herd”) originates from the time when animals belonging to the citizens of the town were led out to pasture down this road. As late as the beginning of the 20th century, the Swedish Market was an empty square where the fish market was held. Many plots of land in the area belonged at that time to Estonian Swedes (or Coastal Swedish) families. In the 1930s, a small park with the town well was built here. To decorate the square, the sculpture “Boy With A Fish” was commissioned from the sculptor Juhan Raudsepp (erected in 1936).

Good to know: The fountain side is still a nice and romantic place to sit. During the summertime festivals such as August Blues and the White Lady Festival the Swedish Market is transformed into a small open air stage. 

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

The timber-laced Kuursaal resort hall and the bandstand on the seaside promenade were built at the end of the 19th century and are the only ones of the kind that have survived in their original shape. From the first half of the 20th century until present day, the resort hall has been the centre of summer activities in Haapsalu.
Interesting to know: in 1898, the house was practically under water; later, the small coves of the bay on both sides of the building were filled and the embankment got its present shape. The resort hall with the bandstand was a favourite place of the Russian emperor’s court and the aristocracy from St. Petersburg. During the Soviet time, the resort hall was used as a storehouse.
National Register of Cultural Monuments

Haapsalu Castle is an architectural gem built in the 13^th century, which until the end of the 17^th century was the seat of power for local authorities.
The museum in the main castle focuses on the history of the castle itself. You can learn about the construction of the castle, the birth of the town of Haapsalu, and the fate of the rulers and locals of the Bishopric of Ösel–Wiek. In order to better understand the life of that time, guests can try out different mechanisms. The passages on the walls offer a wonderful view of the castle and the picturesque town of Haapsalu.