Ancient Natural Sacred Sites in Juuru Parish, Estonia
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eople have been living in Juuru Parish for thousands of years 4. JÄRLEPA CROSSROADS Iida cavities: “The loot 5 P and left traces on both physical and spiritual landscapes. In Juuru borough, Järlepa village of the Livonians was Juuru one can find ancient fields, cup-marked stones, settlements, Crossroad of Mahtra – Järlepa road and enormous because they strongholds, hideouts and sacred groves, sacred stones, springs Lõiuse – Järlepa road besieged the caves of X: 6554652.4 Y: 552103.9 the Harju people where and trees. Sites in Juuru are alive and tell their stories to aware and they were used to hide, Women have visited the Järlepa crossroad open-minded listeners. and they suffocated in secret to follow ancient traditions. all men and women They were dressed in white and carried a The route introduces some of the natural sites of Juuru parish by making fires in the spinning wheel with them. Järlepa is special 4 entrances of the caves for that have been given a special meaning by people who lived in the because even though any crossroad in several days and nights. past. It is especially suitable for visitors who wish to get acquainted Estonia might have been used for witchcraft And if anyone came out of in the past, in Järlepa the traditions have with local nature and the non-material heritage of native Estonians in the cavities alive, they killed some of them remained. The preferred time for practicing the landscape. and imprisoned the others and took all lost their freedom, the city sank into the 3. THE OAKS OF JUURU witchcraft has been full moon Thursday. their belongings and clothes and money ground. But it will rise again when Estonians Juuru borough, at the southern edge of Juuru and everything else. And there were more win back their freedom.” – It is said that hamlet 5. IIDA CAVITIES (ALSO KNOWN than 1000 people of both genders who Estonians in serfdom of the German feudals Information about the road Information about the length Behind the dwelling house at Staadioni 10, AS KUIMETSA KARST, IIE HILLS, IIE suffocated in the cavities. And afterwards strongly believed in this story. Going to conditions: normal roads (usually of the route and hours: on the field by the small gardens. 110 m to the CAVERN, HIIDE SPRUCE GROVE) the Livonians returned together with the work every morning before sunrise, they paved, sometimes gravel or dirt total route length: 50 km; north of the Purila – Kaiu highway. Parking: by Kaiu borough, Kuimetsa and Vaopere villages Germans and praised the Lord for having had a look in the direction of the lost city to roads time: 4.5–10 hours (car or bus) or the road. Access across the grassland and field. On both sides of the Kose – Purila highway. 6–11.5 hours (bicycle) submitted the arrogant hearts of the Harju check whether its lights could be seen yet No road The area is located on both sides of the road. people to Christianity” (Livonian Chronicle as a sign that the city would rise again and X: 6546690.6 Y: 554982.7 There is a road sign directing to the parking of Henrik, 2005, page 141). they would be free again.” 1. PAE KARST AREA, FOOTSTEPS have been believed to be the traces of the lot of the nature preserve and the hiking trail. Two sacred trees. 1st oak: perimeter 375 “During the ancient times of independent The passages of Iida cavities are often OF THE DEVIL Devil’s fingernails and footsteps. Access along an unpaved trail and paths directly cm (diameter 1.3 m), height 18 m; 2nd oak: Estonia, there was the city of Iida in this regarded as the streets of the lost city of Kehtna borough, Pae village from the road or from the parking lot. The more perimeter 420 cm (diameter 1.3 m), height area. After the Germans came and Estonians Iida. Take the Juuru – Rapla road that leads to 2. REHE CUP-MARKED STONE OF exciting caves form a hiking trail marked on the 16 m. According to folk tales ribbons have Pae village. Continue along the gravel road HÕREDA VILLAGE map of the info stand been tied to Juuru oaks and they are remains to the south of the village for 1.4 km until you Juuru borough, Hõreda village X: 6547058.1 Y: 565488.3 of an ancient sacred oak grove. It is said that reach a deciduous forest between Sepa and 75 m to the left of the Juuru – Hõreda – Juuru church was built between the roots of Many karst formations can be observed at Lame farms. Access along a barely visible Rapla road along a dirt road. 5 m to the north oak trees and was, therefore, named Juuriku one of the biggest and most unique karst walking path of the dirt road on an untended grassland. ToURISM INfoRMATioN or Juuru (‘of the root’). According to another area of Estonia: dolines, karst valleys, corries, X: 6539996 Y: 552175.1 Buses must be left by the road, cars can stop story, a church had been standing between canals and caves. 5 caves are big enough on the dirt road by the stone There are a number of dolines and the two oaks but it sank to the ground. to enter. One of the most exciting ones is a Rapla Tourism Information Centre Mahtra Peasantry Museum X: 6542486.2 Y: 553142.9 concavities, small caves and corries that 12 m long and 8 m wide cave located in the Viljandi mnt 4, Rapla Muuseumi 1, Juuru alevik, are all located in a fairly small area covered Length 4.4 m, width 4.1 m, height 1.6 m. bottom of a doline and shaped in the form +372 489 4359 Juuru vald, Raplamaa with deciduous forest. In the Eastern part of Reddish stone with grey spots. of a bandstand. During high water [email protected] +372 484 4199 the wilderness preserve, on the border of 46 cup-marks with a diameter 5–9 cm, it is possible to observe water www.raplamaa.ee/en/tourist_information [email protected] the bog, there is a 1.8 m high outcrop – the depth 1–3 cm. According to scientists running in the cracks and www.mahtramuuseum.ee/Mahtra_ onetime edge of the Baltic Ice Lake. The making of the marks is connected to land canals and listen to the sound North Estonia Tourism Centre Peasantry_Museum_119.htm area of the wilderness preserve is 11 ha. cultivation. A few cup-marked stones have of it underground, during low +372 5330 8130 According to a folktale on Pae karst area also been used for sacrificing. According to water it is barely visible. [email protected] Estonian Nature Information System there was once a city with iron gates that very few folk stories the marks were made It is assumed that during www.northestonia.eu/en Overviews of protected areas and habitats sank into the ground. Later on the sound of to remember the dead. Also, the marks have the crusade of 1220 tragic of protected species churchbells was often heard on the same been rubbed with sheep wool and fat for events described in the http://loodus.keskkonnainfo.ee/WebEelis/ spot. The corries and cracks in the surface good fortune. 3 chronicles took place in the infoleht.aspx?lang=eng 1 2 of the stone. 4 cup-marks (diameter 5–7 cm, 12. MÄNNIKU BIG STONE 14. PIRGU CUP-MARKED STONE depth 1–1.5 cm) to the South and Härgla village Pirgu village South-West of them. From Juuru – Hõreda – Rapla road, 60 m 10 m to the North of the Juuru – Järlepa road, down a forest path. Parking for cars by the side on pastureland 9. HÕREDA CUP-MARKED STONE 2 of the road Parking for cars by the side of the road Hõreda village X: 6550409.4 Y: 550883.1 X: 6555861.2 Y: 549398.8 70 m to the East of the Juuru – Hõreda – Dark grey, one part has broken off. Length 2.8 m long, 1.95 m wide, 0.8 m high, grey. In Rapla road, 20 m to the North of the ditch, on 6 m, width 4 m, height 3.4 m. The separated the lower part of the stone there are 3 cup pastureland. Parking for cars by the side of the part is 4.6 m long, 2.6 m wide, up to 1.5 m marks, diameter 5–6 cm, depth 1–2 cm. road high. It has a cup mark (diameter 7 cm, X: 6542770.4 Y: 553261.1 depth 1.5 cm). 15. PIRGU CUP-MARKED STONE 6. PAE CUP-MARKED STONE 1st (starting from the right) of the four Pirgu village Pae village cup-marked stones. Length 2.5 m, width 13. HÄRGLA CUP-MARKED STONE 40 m to the South-East of the crossroad of OTHER SACRED PLACES IN THE REGioN TO VISIT At the Eastern edge of the gravel road leading 1.5 m, height 40 cm, flat. Cup-marks have Härgla village Seli – Angerja road and Pirgu manor road, on to Pae village from the Juuru – Rapla road, disappeared together with the top layer of 60 m to the East of the soil path that leads a grassland. Parking for cars by the side of the 105 m directly along the village road towards the stone. from the Pirgu – Juuru road to Härgla village, on road Cup-marked stones have borne witness cup-marks or the use of the cup-marked the village. Parking for cars or bus by the side of the field.