Soontagana Stronghold, which is located on a harbour is especially busy: locals fi x up their boats Romantic Coastline swamp island and was built in the 7th–8th century, and traps and the smell of tar takes over the area. 11 SUURE-KÕPU MANOR 18 LÕHAVERE LEMBITU HILLFORT was the centre of the ancient Soontagana parish, Fishermen actually use these historic boats to fi sh. 10 Suure-Kõpu manor operates as a school but is also also referred to as Terra Maritime. There is an ob- There are also a lot of sidecar motorcycles in the open to visitors. The manor house is characterised servation tower next to the stronghold hill, which port, waiting for the men at sea. by a dining room with Pompeiian frescos and a ball offers a beautiful view of the cultural heritage land- Lemsi küla, Kihnu vald, Pärnumaa room, which is adorned with faux-marble walls. The scape and the swamp around the island. 1 manor offers visitors a traditional Estonian experi- 1 URBANUSE CHURCH IN VARBLA 8 POOTSI-KÕPU CHURCH 26 KIHNU CHURCH AND CEMETERY ence involving local food. Kurese küla, Lääneranna vald, Pärnumaa 15 The Varbla Lutheran Church, built in 1861, is a sim- The most impressive church building in the ortho- 17 Kõpu alevik, Põhja-Sakala vald, Viljandimaa 18 KURESE ANCIENT VILLAGE ple neo-Gothic building with one nave. The rich in- dox coastal region was completed in 1873. There is a 18 +372 5341 2173 / [email protected] terior, characteristic to Coastal Swedes, is rich and memorial plaque to Platon, the fi rst bishop of the Es- 13 12 LAHMUSE MANOR looks like an upside-down boat. tonian Apostolic-Orthodox Church, inside the church. Named after the ancient Estonian chief Lembitu, Helmküla, Lääneranna vald, Kõpu küla, Pärnu, Pärnumaa 19 The Lahmuse estate was established by Pole Alexan- 20 the fort was founded at the end of the 12th century. Pärnumaa der Trojanowski, and was known as Trojanowski man- It was used for about 20 years. Towering in the mid- 9 MONUMENT TO PRESIDENT or in older documents. The most beautiful aspect of 21 12 dle of the forest, the hill of the fort with its natural- 18 Lahmuse is Lõhavere brook, which fl ows through the ly deep slopes leaves an imposing impression even 2 VARBLA MUSEUM IN UUE-VARBLA MANOR KONSTANTIN PÄTS ROUTE 1 ROUTE 2 heart of the manor and forms a picturesque millpond. today. On the foot of the hillfort, a monument in The exhibition in the museum in Uue-Varbla Manor In 1939, a monument was erected to Konstantin 4 17 9 The manor house from 1837 follows late Classicist freedom-fi ghters’ memory is erected. Good to know: refl ects the history of and local life in the Varbla ru- Päts, the founder and fi rst president of the Republic lines. The most important buildings on the estate Lembitu was the fi rst Estonian to be mentioned by of Estonia, who was born in Tahkuranna. The me- 19 ral municipality in the fi rst half of the last century. 22 are situated around the square in front of the man- his name in historical records. There is a handicraft room and the ‘book attic’ of morial was destroyed in the beginning of the Soviet The ancient and dignifi ed Kurese village, which was or, while the others are set further back. The most Almost all Kihnu people converted to orthodoxy from 14 20 3 Lõhavere küla, Põhja-Sakala vald, Viljandimaa the local writer Karl Ristikivi in the museum. In the occupation and restored in 1989. left without inhabitants in the middle of the 20th eye-catching of these is the stable with its nave-style Pätsi, Tahkuranna küla, Häädemeeste vald, 1846 to 1847, the Lutheran church was given to the granary, you can explore old tools and machinery. century, is a remarkable sight with its stone fences 2 7 covered area supported by six columns. Since 1926, 19 MONUMENT LEMBITU TO THE VICTIMS The early classicistic wooden main building of the Pärnumaa and former farm sites. The village is surrounded by orthodox congregation by order of Tsar Nicholas I, the manor has housed a school. and an onion dome was built on the bell tower. OF THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE IN manor, dating back to 1797, is a unique sight. alvar pastures, which are full of junipers. Lahmuse küla, Põhja-Sakala vald, Viljandimaa SUURE-JAANI Uue Varbla, Aruküla, Lääneranna vald, 10 TAHKURANNA DORMITION OF THE MOTHER Kurese küla, Lääneranna vald, Pärnumaa The cemetery is as sacred for Kihnu people as the 1 The monument, which was re-opened in 1990, is Pärnumaa OF GOD CHURCH church. They go there quietly and never after the sun 13 PÄRNU-JAAGUPI CHURCH 19 MIHKLI LUTHERAN CHURCH has set so as to not disturb the dead. known as the Lembitu monument because the fi rst The historicist church has a Latin cross plan and 23 24 This single-nave Gothic building was built in 1534. Lemsi küla, Kihnu vald, Pärnumaa 2 5 known commander of Estonians, Lembitu, is from 3 TÕSTAMAA MANOR, TÕSTAMAA MUSEUM is architecturally rather unique in Estonia, as only 8 The two arches divide the premises into three Suure-Jaani. The monument was fi rst established in red bricks were used to build it. It was completed in parts. The building is made of granite and the spire 1926 and crushed twice – in 1941 and 1943. Sculp- 27 METSAMAA TRADITIONAL FARM 1872. Good to know: The fi rst President of the Re- is made of limestone and covered in lime plaster. tor Amandus Adamson’s original sculpture (without public of Estonia, Konstantin Päts, was christened Ants Laikmaa is the author of the altarpiece, which a hand and a sword) is located in Suure-Jaani Upper in Tahkuranna Church. 6 was created in 1901 and is a copy of the altarpiece Secondary School. Tahkuranna küla, Häädemeeste vald, Pärnumaa 6 Christ on the cross by von Gebhardt in the Tallinn Suure-Jaani, Lembitu plats, 3 4 5 16 Cathedral. The author of the Baroque pulpit, which 11 Põhja-Sakala vald, Viljandimaa 11 HÄÄDEMEESTE ST MICHAEL’S CHURCH was completed in 1660, is Elert Thiele. The organ was made in the Walcker workshop in Riga in 20 TORI HELL CAVE The nature stone church in the historicist-eclectic 1895. The church is also known as a concert venue. You will fi nd a mysterious cave in the steep river- style is enlivened by red brick details. People tell a 7 Põhja-Pärnumaa vald, Pärnumaa story about how local wealthy ship-owners promised 8 bank in Tori. The place has been known as Tori Hell for several hundreds of years as you can go deep The manor dates back to the Middle Ages and has a to buy the material needed for the roof, so the build- 14 ESTONIAN SOLDIERS’ MEMORIAL CHURCH colourful history. In the modern day, the post-clas- ers decided to select the most expensive material. The single-nave Mihkli Church, built in the 13th into the ground from the cave. This is the reason 9 IN TORI why there are so many folk stories and legends sicistic manor was turned into a school in 1921. Pärnu maantee 34, Häädemeeste alevik, century and dedicated to Holy Archangel Michael, about the place. The cave was created by the water Tõstamaa Museum is located in the basement of Häädemeeste vald, Pärnumaa is one of the oldest and most original buildings in 10 Western Estonia. The Latvian chronicler Henry was in the streams eroding the Devon sandstone bank the manor. The last owner of the manor was the fa- of the Pärnu River. The opening of Tori Hell was 6 12 HÄÄDEMEESTE MUSEUM the fi rst priest here. mous orientalist and professor Alexander Stael von metres in diameter and some sources say that the This traditional farm complex reveals the differ- Holstein of Beijing University. You can book tours The coast of Häädemeeste has long and well-known Kiriku, Mihkli küla, Lääneranna vald, Pärnumaa ‘passage to hell’ was 32 metres long. The ceiling of of the manor. ent sides of everyday island life. Here, you can shipbuilding traditions, which are apparent from the 20 PANGA FARM ROSE GARDEN the cave collapsed in 1908 and its mouth in 1974. Tõstamaa Museum, located in the basement and memorials in Häädemeeste and Kabli, the impressive see a farmhouse, a granary, household tools, folk You can no longer go into the cave, but steps by the chimney hall of Tõstamaa Manor, exhibits the lives wooden homes of old captains and ship-owners, and The Panga Farm rose garden has fl owers from forgot- costumes, and handicrafts. Guests can enjoy fi lms cemetery gates will take you to this beautiful and 26 25 15 of the local people through both objects and pho- family graves in village cemeteries. The museum has ten farms, fi elds, parks, and gardens of our ancestors. about the island, participate in crafts and art work- mysterious place. tos. Here, you can see various tools, school supplies, a list of long-distance sailboats built on the beach Panga, Ura küla, Lääneranna vald, Pärnumaa shops, or order a folklore concert. 30 Pärnu maantee 2, Tori alevik, Tori vald, Pärnumaa +372 5347 8379 / [email protected] Metsamaa, Rootsiküla, Kihnu vald, Pärnumaa 16 home items, Soviet-related items, and items related and lots of photos of these ships, as well as ship doc- Tori Church, which was built in 1854, has a complicat- to marine research and fi shing. In the chimney hall uments.