Haapsalu Castle is an architectural gem built in the 13th century that was the seat of power of the local authorities until the end of the 17th century. It is one of the best-preserved castles in Estonia and home to the most famous ghost in Estonia – the White Lady!

There is a museum on medieval history in the main castle, through which you can also access the southern cathedral, first mentioned in writing in 1279. There is a children’s playground inspired by the Middle Ages in the moat.
You can visit the courtyard for free, but you have to buy a ticket to get to the museum.

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.

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.

The splendour of Haapsalu, the famous Czarist era resort, is brought to mind by the seafront Promenade and its jewel — the Assembly Hall with its wooden lattice designs. Walk on the sloping promenade and glance dreamily at the sea; check the time at the sundial and have a rest on the bench named for the world-famous composer Tchaikovsky.

Interesting facts: The Promenade starts at the exotically named Africa Beach, and ends at the Chocolate Promenade, which is named after an old café. There is a children’s playground on the Promenade and the town’s only observation tower. There is also a monument to Carl Hunnius, the discoverer of Haapsalu’s therapeutic mud standing just behind the stage.

Uuemõisa manor a few kilometres away from the centre of Haapsalu was first mentioned in 1539 when it was an Episcopal manor. The last owner before the compulsory sale of the manor, which in the 17th century belonged to the de la Gardie family, was princess Yevgeniya Shakhovskaya. In 1833 a two-storey post-classicist main building was constructed in the manor. In the 1920s the building was reconstructed based on the design made by Karl Burman. As a result, long one-storey wings were added to the building. All of this made it an immensely long building.

At present are in the manor Uuemõisa kindergarten and Primary School. The White Hall of the manor is a good place for concerts.

The ruins of Rooslepa chapel originate from the 17th century. It was originally built as a wooden chapel. The present stone chapel was built in 1834. The chapel fell apart after World War II, but the sanctuary which has by now been completely restored was recommemorated in August 2007. The chapel has a brand new belfry with the ball and weathervane. The weathervane depicts a whale with its toothed mouth open.
Interesting facts: The stone inside the chapel near the entrance waited for 10 years to return to its original place. The stone is unique for the autograph by the grandfather of the present King of Sweden dating back to the year 1932.