Kuressaare

Kuressaare (Arensburg in German and Swedish, Ку́рессааре in Russian) is a 13,276 inhabitants town in the southern coast of the island of Saaremaa, the largest island in Estonia. It's the capital of Saare County and the westernmost town in Estonia, as well as the 10th most populated town in the country.

How do I arrive to Kuressaare?

  The best way to reach Kuressaare is by the ferry from Virtsu to Muhu, and from this latter island cross the 2.5 km bridge to Saaremaa. 

• Plane: there are two daily flights to Tallinn, among other destinations. It's located 3 km southeast from Kuressaare and there are buses to Kuressaare Bus Station.
• Bus: there are buses to Kuressaare from Muhu island (18 daily buses, aprox. 1 hour), Pärnu (4 daily buses, aprox. 3 hour 30 minutes), Tallinn (11 daily buses, aprox. 4 hours), Viljandi (2 daily buses, aprox. 5 hours) and Tartu (2 daily buses, aprox. 5 hours 30 minutes).
• Car: if you rented a car, you can use the ferry to cross to Saaremaa too.

History

Kuressaare was first named around 1154, conquered by the Livonian Order in 1227, under Volkwin of Naumburg. The castle is first mentioned in 1381 and a town grew around it, being the see of the Bishopric of Ösek-Wiek established by Albert of Riga in 1228, part of the Terra Mariana. In 1542 the bishop of Ösel-Wiek, Johann von Münchhausen, converted to Protestantism and sold his lands to king Frederick II of Denmark in 1559, with the advance of the troops of tsar Ivan IV of Russia. The bishopric was secularised in 1572 and it became part of the Danish Crown. Sweden too control of it with the treaty of Brömsebro in 1645 and queen Christina of Sweden granted her favourite, Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie, the title of Count of Arensburg. Kuressaare was burnt by Russian troops in 1710, during the Great Northern War, becoming part of the Russian Empire with the traty of Nystad (1721). In the 19th century Kuressaare became a popular seaside resort on the Baltic coast. During WW1, in 1917, German forces occupied Saaremaa in the Operation Albion and nearby took place the battle of Tehumardi in WW2. Kuressaare was the first Estonian town in regaining its self-governing statues in 1990.

 

What can I visit in Kuressaare?

Kuressaare is the most interesting point in Saaremaa and its most beautiful buildings are located around Keskväljak square. Some of the most important festivals in Kuressaare are Saaremaa Opera Festival, Kuressaare Chamber Music Days and Kuressaare Seaside Festival.

These are Kuressaare's main attractions:

• Kuressaare Episcopal Castle: castle from the 14th century that was used as a defensive bastion and administrative center of the bishopric. It's the best preserved castle in the Baltic countries and the only Medieval one that is intact. Inside the castle's keep has Saaremaa Museum (10-19 from May to Aug; 11-18 Wed-Sun from Sep to Apr; 8€/ 6€  adults/ retiree, students and kids), museum about the nature and the history of Saaremaa island, where it's said that prisioners were taken and imprisioned in jails with lions. In a section it's shown how life was during under the Soviet Union. In the upper part there's a cafe with views of the beach and the town of Kuresaare. Outside the castle, in the park that surrounds it, some concerts take place in summer.
• In the park where the castle is located it can be found the Memorial to Victims of the Red Army (90 local people were killed) and the Memorial to Victims of the Nazis (300 locals people where killed under the German occupation).
• Kuressaare Beach: small but cute urban beach that gets a lot of visitors in summer to sunbathe and play volleyball.
• Suur Tõll ja Piret: funny statue that represents the most important legendary heroe Suur Tõl and his wife Piret taking a boat fulled with fish.
• Kuressaare Town Hall: Baroque building from 1670 protected with a couple of stone lions.
• St. Nikolai Russian Orthodox Church (10-13 Mon-Fri and Sun, 16:30-18:30 Sat; free): oldest Orthodox church in Saaremaa (it dates back from 1790). Its entrance is impressing and inside the church there are charming icons.
• St. Laurentiuse Lutheran Church (10-17 Tue-Fri, 10-14 Sat from Jun to Aug; free): although the church was built in 1836, it has a much older and precious object inside, a medieval stone baptismal font. with kind of dragons as decoration. Other of its highlights are the candelabra lamps, its wooden benches or its domed ceiling.
• Johannes and Joosep Aavik's Memorial Museum (11-16 Wed-Fri; 3€/ 2€  adults/ retiree, students and kids): former house from Aavik family that hosts expositions about Johannes Aavik, a famous linguist that reformed Estonian language, and his cousin Joosep, a gifted musician. 

Kuressaare Episcopal Castle

Statue of Suur Tõll ja Piret

Where can I buy and what can I do in Kuressaare?

One of the most interesting places in Kuressaare to buy local craftsworks are the Central Market (Tallinna 5), works of art at Saaremaa Kunstistuudio (Lossi 5) or antiquities at Antiik (Kitsas 5). Pärnu has an interesting cultural offer too, with halls such as Pärnu Concert Hall (Aida 4), one of the best in Estonia, and Endla threater (Keskväljak 1). Here you can also do some sport at Kuressaare beach, going to the waterpark of Spa Hotel Rüütli (Pargi 16) or playing golf at Saare Golf (Merikotka 35). 

Where can I eat in Kuressaare?

The culinary offer in Kuressaare is quite interesting (although not to big). Some of the recommendations if your budget is low are the cafe Retro (Lossi 5), the cafe and bakery Valalinna (Kauba 8) or supermarkets like Konsum. If your budget is medium your may try the modern restaurant Ku-Kuu (Pargi 6) placed in a 1899 wooden building, the Estonian restaurant Saaremaa Veski (Pärna 19) at a 19th century windmill or Classic Kohvik & Pizza (Lossi 9). For higher budgets the main choice is Gospa OÜ (Tori 2).
To have a drink or go out there are many choices like the winery Vinoteek Prelude (Lossi 4), the pubs John Bull (Lossipark 4), Pubi Vaekoda (Tallinna 3) and Chameleon (Kauba 2).

Posted in: Estonia,Europe