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Town in Estonia
Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 3.0 ee via Wikimedia Commons
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The Haapsalu Bishop’s Castle and Cathedral, which was established in the 13th century as the centre of the Saare-Lääne Diocese, is one of the best preserved castles in Estonia. Visit the museum complex in the convent building where you will find exhibition halls with finds from the castle and mysterious vaulted cellars. You might encounter Estonia’s most famous ghost – the White Lady.
EAÕK Haapsalu Maria-Magdaleena kogudus
The Estonian Orthodox Maria Magdaleena Church is located in an idyllic area of Haapsalu – on the Promenade. The church was restored to its present state only a few years ago.
Haapsalu promenaad
The timber-laced 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 form. The Resort Hall is today, and was in the first half of the 20th century, the centre of summer activities in Haapsalu.
Built by former Soviet Union army Kiltsi airfield extends to ca 800 ha area. Concrete runways are 2500 m long, for the airplanes there were 28 hangars. Adventure searchers should be careful in the military settlement and, to avoid possible collapses, not to scale the ruins. Apparently also sometimes used for drag racing.
Ungru lossi varemed
The ruins of the Ungru manor used to represent one of the most impressive Neo-Baroque buildings in Estonia, although it was never really finished. The contrasting Soviet airfield remains next to the manor.
Läänemaa Museum
The museum is located in the former Town Hall in Lossiplatsi Square. Wander through the historic interior and learn about the old times of Haapsalu. Exhibitions change regularly, so depending when you come you might get to know the old farmhouse, the once-famous resorts of Haapsalu, or the ancient history of the area.
Eesti Raudteemuuseum
The Haapsalu Station building was custom designed, because the resort town was a favourite holiday site for the Russian tsars. The complex has four parts – the passenger building, Imperial Pavilion, the colonnade connecting them, and a unique 216-metre-long covered platform. To see historic engines and carriages look behind the train station. The railway station was also sometimes used in making movies.
Rannarootsi Muuseum
The museum introduces the thousand-year-old settlements of the coastal Swedes in Estonia. In the house inaugurated by the King of Sweden, you can acquaint yourself with their unique cultural heritage and see a 20-metre embroidered rug that depicts the life of the Estonian-Swedes.
Helilooja Cyrillus Kreegi mälestuskivi
Cyrillus Kreek (1889-1962) is known as the composer of choral works and was beloved by the people of Haapsalu. The permanent exposition introduces the composer's life and works. Have a cup of coffee or tea at the museum and listen to the composer's music.
The Haapsalu Shawl, an extremely fine knitted shawl that can be pulled through a woman's ring, has been the symbol of Haapsalu since the last century. In the Shawl Museum, which is located in a jewellery workshop, you can see a permanent exhibition on the past and present of the Haapsalu shawl, examine the extremely fine patterns, and buy one of the masterpieces.
Communication Museum offers a review of the development of telecommunications in Western Estonia.
Promenaad ja Aafrika rand
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. There is a children's playground on the Promenade and the town’s only observation tower.
Haapsalu's main street, Karja Street, begins on the Swedish Market. The fountain side is a nice and romantic place to sit.
The spa specializes in Thalasso treatments, the basic elements of which are sea mud, seawater, sea scent and sea nutrition present in various treatments.
Spa Hotel Laine
The spa specializes in mud treatments, which use Haapsalu's own treatment mud.
Finnish fast food chain.
pizzeria
Very friendly owner – speaks Eesti, Russian and German. A decent accommodation with fire place, sauna, kitchen and near the forest.
The hostel provides a shared kitchen.
Haapsalu has a regular bus connection to Tallinn and Kärdla, and few to Pärnu, among other cities.
Read in the guideBy boat
Haapsalu veetakso provides a water taxi service between the port of Grand Holm in Haapsalu and the port of Österby.
By taxi
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Articles and travel topics about Haapsalu and Estonia.
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