Useful information for tourists about Estonia, cities and resorts of the country. As well as information about the population, currency of Estonia, cuisine, features of visa and customs restrictions in Estonia.
Geography of Estonia
Estonia is a country in northeastern Europe, on the east coast Baltic Sea. It borders with Russia and Latvia. In the north it is washed by the Gulf of Finland, in the west by the Baltic Sea. Estonia owns more than 1,500 islands, the largest of which are Saaremaa and Hiiumaa. The relief is predominantly flat with an extensive network of lakes.
State
State structure
The form of government is a republic. The head of state is the president, the legislative body is the State Assembly.
Language
Official language: Estonian
Widely spoken are English, Russian, Finnish and German.
Religion
The majority of believers are Lutherans (70%) and Orthodox (20%).
Currency
International name: EUR
From 1992 to 2010, the country used the Estonian kroon. The transition to the euro took place on January 1, 2011.
History of Estonia
The territory of modern Estonia was inhabited approximately two and a half thousand years before the birth of Christ. The advantageous geographical position at the crossroads of trade routes from East to West and from North to South led to great interest in this piece of land, prompted many kings to undertake military campaigns and gave rise to many disputes.
Since the 13th century, Estonia has been under the influence of the Teutonic Order. Knight's castles, which have survived to a greater or lesser extent to this day, are one of the most important tourist sites.
In 1285 Tallinn became part of the Hanseatic League. German merchants conducted mainly trade business. Subsequent generations of Germans, who finally settled in Estonia, built family estates throughout the country. The Germans were the first wave in a long line of conquerors. Danes, Swedes, Poles and Russians all marched across Estonia, imposing their will, erecting cities and castles, exporting goods through Estonian ports.
At the end of the 19th century, a wave of national liberation movement arose in Estonia. On February 24, 1918, Estonia declared its independence. True, Estonia did not remain free for long. In 1940, Estonia was annexed to the Soviet Union, and only in 1991 (August 20) was it able to regain independence by separating from the USSR peacefully. Today the country is a member of the UN and the IMF.
The territory of modern Estonia was inhabited approximately two and a half thousand years before the birth of Christ. The advantageous geographical position at the crossroads of trade routes from East to West and from North to South led to great interest in this piece of land, prompted many kings to go on military campaigns and gave rise to many disputes....
Popular attractions
Tourism in Estonia
Where to stay
All of Estonia is one huge resort. Hotels and sanatoriums are located here wherever there are suitable conditions for this. After the country gained independence, the number of hotels increased from several dozen to several hundred. Estonia has a fairly developed tourism industry, which is reflected in the breadth and quality of the hotel stock, as well as a really high level of service in hotels.
The country's hotels have a standard five-star classification plus a separate classification of motels from one to three stars - everything is strictly controlled at the state level.
In one-star hotels in Estonia, the reception is open from 7.00 to 23.00. In rooms ranging from 9 sq. m and above there is a bath, toilet and towels. Breakfast is included in the price. Unlike one-star rooms, two-star rooms have a telephone and at least 10% of these rooms are non-smoking.
In three-star hotels, the reception is open 24 hours a day. Guests have access to computers with the Internet, and each room has a TV. Breakfast, if desired by the guest, is served in the room. Daytime and evening meals are provided at the hotel restaurant.
Four-star hotels in most cases have an elevator. The rooms are equipped with comfortable furniture, TV with international channels, minibar and computer with Internet access. Hot meals can be served in your room at least 16 hours a day. In addition to this range of services, five-star hotels are distinguished by round-the-clock service, the presence of their own restaurant, swimming pool and fitness center.
For more budget-conscious tourists, Estonia always has a choice between small private hotels, Bed & Breakfasts, hostels and campsites (both tent camps and caravan parks).
Many old sanatoriums and boarding houses have been completely converted into modern medical and health complexes, where tourists are offered a variety of health programs and SPA services.
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Popular hotels
Excursions and attractions in Estonia
Estonia is a small charming country on the Baltic Sea coast. Its centuries-old history, rich cultural heritage and magnificent natural landscapes will fill your holiday with unforgettable impressions. Here you will find the picturesque shores of the Gulf of Finland and Riga, many beautiful islands, dense forests, lakes, nature reserves and national parks. It will be a great pleasure to get to know ancient cities and colorful fishing villages, as well as visit magnificent medieval castles, interesting museums, ancient churches and monasteries.
The capital of Estonia, Tallinn, is one of the most beautiful and best-preserved medieval cities in Europe. Special attention The historical center of Tallinn certainly deserves – Old city. Its narrow winding streets, remains of fortress walls, medieval towers, ancient houses with red tiled roofs and numerous weather vanes create a magical atmosphere and unique flavor. It is definitely worth visiting Toompea Castle, Tallinn Town Hall, St. Olav and St. Nicholas Churches, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Glen Castle, Kadriorg Palace, Church of the Holy Spirit, Niguliste Church, Maarjamägi Castle, Estonian Maritime Museum, Art Museum, Botanical Garden and Zoo. In the vicinity of Tallinn, the Estonian Museum under open air Rocca al Mare and the ruins of the monastery of St. Brigid.
Tartu is the second largest city in Estonia and its cultural center. Among the many attractions of the city of Tartu, the most interesting are Toomemägi Hill (Domberg) with the ruins of Peter and Paul Cathedral (Dome Cathedral), Tartu Observatory and Old Anatomicum, Town Hall and Town Hall Square, John's Church, Estonian National Museum, National Gallery, Toy Museum, House Museum Oskar Luts, Angel and Devil's Bridges, Botanical Garden and St. Anthony's Metochion.
Very popular among tourists ancient city Narva and its main attraction is Hermann's Narva Castle. Also worth visiting in Narva are the Alexander Church, the Town Hall, the Resurrection Cathedral, the Narva Museum, the Art Gallery and the oldest park in Narva - the Dark Garden. Of particular interest is the complex of buildings of the Krenholm manufactory, located on the island of the same name.
Estonia includes more than one and a half thousand islands and Saaremaa is not only the largest of them, but, perhaps, the most interesting. Its main attraction, the Bishop's Castle in Kuressaare (the largest settlement on the island), is considered the only medieval castle that has been completely preserved to this day in the Baltic countries. Today the castle houses the Saaremaa Museum and Art Gallery. Among the natural attractions of the island, lakes Kaali (meteor crater) and Karujärv should be noted. Lovers of nature and silence will have a lot of fun taking a walk through the Viidumäe nature reserve. The island of Saaremaa is also famous for its excellent mud baths. The picturesque islands of Hiiumaa and Vormsi are also worth a visit.
Currently (according to 2008 data) the total number of Estonians in the world is 1.1 million people, of which about 921,000 permanently reside in the Republic of Estonia.
The main language is Estonian, which belongs to the Finno-Ugric family.
Population: 1,340,127 people.
It is interesting that even before the century before last they called themselves maarahvas, which means “people of the earth”, in a broader sense - those who are engaged in agriculture. But the concept of eestlane came into modern use from the Latin language - Aesti. It is believed that the ancient Roman historian Tacitus first described the people who inhabited the far shore of the Baltic Sea in his work “The Germans”.
In medieval Rus', Estonians were called Chud.
According to anthropological characteristics, Estonians are classified as Eastern Baltic and Nordic races, as well as transitional types between these two races.
Most Estonians consider themselves atheists. Lutherans predominate among believers, but there are also those who profess.
The history goes back to ancient times. The Estonian tribe, the “ancestors” of modern Estonians, appeared in the Eastern Baltic as a result of the mixing of Finno-Ugric tribes that came to these lands in the first millennium BC with local aborigines. Further, the emerging new nationality absorbed, in addition to Finno-Ugric and Baltic, also Slavic and Germanic elements.
During its development, the population of Western Estonia was subject to significant influence from Scandinavia, but the influence of the ancient Russian people led to the formation of the characteristics of the Estonian sub-ethnic group Seto, and in the southeast - Võru.
Since the 9th century, the first villages have been formed in Estonia, which led to the division of the territory into counties and parishes. In the same period (IX - XIII centuries), the Estonians developed an agricultural culture, growing mainly oats, flax, peas, beans, and later rutabaga, cabbage, and winter rye.
In the 13th century, German knights attacked Prussian lands - they massacred local tribes, including Estonians, and burned villages to the ground.
TO end of XIII centuries, on the basis of the Estonian tribes living on the territory of modern Estonia, the Estonian language was formed.
The most typical ancient elements of Estonian folk culture: residential barga, black bread, autumn commemoration of the dead, wedding and Christmas traditions, as well as special shape traditional folk music - runic song.
The national clothing of Estonian women was a linen shirt and a woolen frock coat. The outer clothing, as a rule, was white or black, and the underwear, a woolen skirt, was red.
In the first half of the 18th century, when the Baltic states were annexed to the Russian Empire, there was a massive resettlement of Estonians to the territory of the modern Leningrad region. And in the 19th century, many Estonians moved to the then little-developed territories of the North, Siberia and the Far East. In addition, Estonian peasants were hired to work at industrial enterprises in Riga and St. Petersburg (and its suburbs).
In the 1920s, Estonian national village councils arose in Siberia and the Leningrad region. However, in 1936-1937 they were abolished, and many of their active participants were shot.
After joining, several thousand Estonians were exiled to Komi and the Kirov region. Also, thousands of Estonians were evacuated to the eastern regions Soviet Union at the beginning of World War II. And in 1949, 20,535 people were deported from Estonia, most of whom were Estonians by nationality.
After 1955, Estonians began to be rehabilitated en masse and returned to the territory of the Estonian SSR. However, from 1959 to 1989, the number of Estonians in the USSR decreased from 78.5 thousand to 46.4 thousand people.
After the collapse of the USSR, the number of Estonians in Russia sharply decreased due to various circumstances: a return to Russia, assimilation with the Russian population, and a decrease in the birth rate. According to the 2002 population census data in the territory Russian Federation There were 28,113 Estonians with Russian citizenship.
Hot Anna. Estonians
Estonians (self-name - Eestlased, formerly Maarahvas - people land) - Finno-Ugric people, total number approximately 1.1 million Human, incl. in Estonia approx. 921 thousand (2008). They also live in neighboring Latvia and Russian Federation. IN 24 FV 1918-21 IL 1940 and with 3 MR 1991 Estonia - sovereign state (capital - Tallinn). The main ethnic neighbors of Estonians are Latvians and Russians. Believers mostly Lutherans, there are Orthodox. In the Middle Ages the Estonians Rus' called miracle. Anthropologically belong to the eastern Baltic and Nordic races and transitional types of them. Estonians are one of the most blond people groups ever examined by anthropologists. Versions of origin and kinship Aestii near the Vistula (neighbors of the Vidivarius) according to some researchers have nothing to do with modern Estonians, like the Estonians (Aists, Hestii), mentioned by Jordan, are presumably not at all the same inhabitants of the small Baltic states that you can think about now. Ests is not a self-name and, by the way, modern Estonians took it to designate their nation only in the 19th-20th centuries. (during the period of "national revival") - eestlased.
Before that, they called themselves maarahvas (Estonian maarahvas lit. - “countrymen”, “people of the earth”, “rural people”, “peasant common people”). The Ests as a separate people of Finno-Ugric origin were mentioned in Livonian chronicles(in particular, in Henry of Latvia in his chronicle, XIII century), but according to the hypothesis they owe their name to the term “east”, “Eastern land” - Estland. In Russians chronicles ancestors of Estonians, along with some others. tribes appear under the name chud. As “Western influence” advanced into the eastern lands along the Baltic coast, the bearers of this name also changed. Therefore, Tacitus and Jordan have the Aestii (Estii) or Aestii, perhaps tribes near the Vistula, Letto-Lithuanian (Baltic tribes) and then only modern bearers of this ethnonym, which turned out to be the most eastern in this direction. However, this hypothesis of the origin of the ethnonym does not take into account the fact that this case of coincidence of the name among the Baltic and Baltic-Finnish tribes is not the only one. A similar situation arose with the Narva tribe, whose name left a mark on the toponyms of the southern Baltic states, Poland and Belarus, although the tribe itself clearly settled along the Narva on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland and had the city of Rugodiv as its capital. Perhaps, because and Narova (and together with them), the Balts of Estia migrated from the lower reaches of the Vistula and settled in the Baltic states, dissolving over time among the local Baltic-Finnish population, but leaving them with their ethnonym, under which the tribe was known by neighboring peoples, just as the Turkic The Bulgars gave the name to the Bulgarians.
The oldest finds on the territory of Estonia are artifacts found during archaeological excavations of the settlements of Pulli and Kunda and related to the Kunda archaeological culture. Ethnic origin The oldest settlers on modern Estonian lands are not known. It is believed that they belonged to Neolithic peoples whose language substrate is up to n.p. exists in the languages of modern Europe. From the point of view stories Estonian culture great importance has the arrival of Finno-Ugric tribes on the territory of Estonia. Many cultural scientists, such as Uku Masing, Jaan Kaplinski, as well as the author of popular science books Lennart Meri, have repeatedly tried to find in traditions Estonians have a Finno-Ugric heritage. The culture of the Baltic Germans, coastal Swedes and Russian Old Believers V.
The Estonians formed in the Eastern Baltic on the basis of the mixing of those who came from the east in the 3rd millennium BC. Finno-Ugric tribes and ancient aboriginal populations. Later they absorbed East Finno-Ugric, Baltic, Germanic and Slavic elements. Since the 3rd century. On the territory of Estonia, one can trace the formation of individual ethnic groups based on archaeological data, which coincide with the dialectal and ethnographic regions that have survived to this day: Northern, Southern, Western Estonia and the islands. Scandinavia had a noticeable influence on Western Estonia. In Southern Estonia, ancient cultural traits were preserved the longest. Thanks to influence Old Russian nationalities formed the characteristics of the Seto subethnic group, as well as in the South-East of Võru; This is most clearly expressed in buildings and clothing.
V-IX centuries - period of average iron age, although in the Baltic states until the 10th century. iron is extremely rare, and culture is preserved there Bronze Age. Starting from the 9th century, villages began to form in the late Iron Age (several families united their farms). As a result, there was a territorial division into parishes and counties. Compared to neighboring countries, the village culture of Estonia was underdeveloped - the main place of residence of the ancient Estonians was farm, where the family lived, which was considered a unit society. The family consisted of 8-10 people. All farm buildings were built around an open yard, the main building - a residential barn - faces the courtyard, from north to south. The last period of the Iron Age (IX-XIII centuries) was a time for Estonia economic rise, agriculture developed rapidly, the main grain crop was barley. Wheat, oats, peas, beans and flax were also grown, and later cabbage and rutabaga were added. From the second half of the 11th century. They began to cultivate winter rye, which brought with it the development of a three-field cropping system. Blacksmithing developed craft, the potter's wheel began to be used. Crafts were not as developed as their neighbors, but this deficiency was compensated by trade.
In the 13th century the emerging economic growth was stopped by the invasion of German knights. In the 13th century they attacked Prussian lands from the west and in the territory inhabited by the Estonians, Livs and also Curonians, Semigallians, Shelonians, Latgalians, from the Gulf of Riga. During what they called the “Holy War,” there was a mass killing of people and the complete destruction and burning of villages. By the end of the 13th century. The Estonian people and language were formed on the basis of the Estonian tribes living on the territory of Estonia and their dialects. Estonians were settled farmers and called themselves "the people of the earth."
The most typical ancient elements of Estonian folk culture include the residential barn, black bread, wedding and Christmas traditions, as well as the autumn commemoration of the dead (it was believed that on these days souls deceased ancestors come home) and the oldest form of Estonian folk music, formed in the 1st millennium BC: the so-called. runic song (regilaul) with a short but richly varied motif.
From the XI-XIII centuries. Early reports appear about Estonian clothing. The woman's main clothing was a linen shirt and a woolen frock coat. A woolen skirt was wrapped around the hips and secured with a belt. Linen clothes were bleached white, outerwear was sheepskin white or black. The wool for the skirt was dyed with plant herbs; The most common dye was galangal, from which the red color was obtained.
Knowledge about the religion of the ancient Estonians is based on archaeological finds, ancient and medieval chronicles and folklore materials of the 19th century. The Estonians believed that every animal, tree and stone had a soul; They believed in guardian spirits who lived in rocks, streams and trees. To appease the spirits, sacrifices were made to them. For the most part, religious rites and rituals were not complex; there were no professional priests. Sacrificial places were considered, among other things, sacred oak groves - small isolated copses in which it was forbidden to tear leaves from trees or pick up anything from the ground - as well as stones, streams and springs. Due to the development of agriculture in mythological worldview among the Estonians, gods and personifications of weather phenomena and the sky came to the fore.
Chief heavenly god was considered Uku (Estonian Uku, Ukko) - grandfather. The popularity of fertility magic and the patron gods of the field and grain increased. At the solstice, bonfires were lit because... It was believed that fire drives away evil spirits. There were sorcerers Magi and healers, to whom they turned for help during illness and other troubles. The ancient Estonians believed in the power of words: hunters and fishermen did not name their prey by its belonging to a certain species (bear, deer, perch), but used special “pseudonyms”.
In late autumn, they commemorated all the dead - they believed that their souls visited their former homes. Tables were set for them and the bathhouse was heated; peace and quiet reigned everywhere. The word velnias, which is used among the Baltic peoples as a name for the devil or evil spirit, was formed from the designation of a dead person who returned and began to threaten the living.
According to the most ancient myths, which are mentioned in folk songs, the ancestors of Estonians believed that the world arose from an egg. The Milky Way was represented as the trunk of the tree of the world or the road along which birds accompanied the souls of the deceased to another world.
Estonians or “Ests” are the indigenous inhabitants of the Baltic region and the coastal islands of Ezel, Moon and others. They belong to the western group of the Finno-Ugric tribe. They are known in the chronicles under the name “Chudi”, but the same name is also applied to other Finnish tribes.
Estonians call themselves “Tallo poeg”, which translates as “son of the soil”. The Latvians are known as “igganni”, that is, “exiles”, which probably indicates that they were pushed back (at the beginning of the 13th century) to the north. The Russians are known by the name Chukhon, Chukhontsev. In the Pskov province, the Estonians, who had long been under Russian influence, received the name “half-believers.” The reason for this was the fact that one third of all Estonians profess Lutheranism, the rest are either Catholics or Orthodox.
The ancestral home of the Finno-Ugric family is considered to be Central Asia, from where in prehistoric times migration took place through the north-east of Europe to the regions now occupied by the Finno-Ugric people. The division into separate tribes can be attributed to the 7th century, since already from that time archaeological excavations give indications of the isolation of Finns, Estonians, Livs and Kurs. Baltic finds indicate familiarity with metals (iron axes, knives, bronze breast ornaments).
Once upon a time, the Estonians occupied the entire Livonia and Courland provinces, as indicated by the names of places ending in “-kill” (village) and “-jerw” (lake), but already in historical times they were pushed back by the Slavs to the borders they now occupy. Back in 1111 and 1178, the Novgorod chronicle mentions “Ochel” as a country occupied by Estonians. From that time on, the Estonians were subject to constant attacks by the Scandinavian princes, the Slavs and, finally, the Germans (Swordsmen), who, with the help of Denmark, conquered the Estonians and converted them to Christianity around 1227.
According to the 2002 Population Census, the number of Estonians living on the territory of the Russian Federation is 28 thousand people.
The lifestyle of the Estonians of that time was nomadic, hunting, but with the rudiments of agriculture. The Estonians lived in very simple log huts, mostly chicken huts. Since the 80s, there has been a desire to buy land and develop manor farms.
The food is mainly plant-based; The Estonians are especially fond of cabbage and turnips, which they cultivated in prehistoric times. Pork meat is a delicacy.
Men's clothing consists of a linen shirt fastened at the neck with metal, mostly silver buckles (this custom is beginning to disappear and remained mainly among the islanders and half-verts of the Pskov province), stockings, high boots, short pants, usually black, a vest and a gray or a green jacket like a blazer. A scarf, often silk, is tied around the neck. On his head is a felt hat with a wide brim; in winter, a hat made of fox fur and a sheepskin coat without a cover.
Women's costume - a long canvas shirt fastened on the chest with buckles, striped dark skirts, a blue bodice and an embroidered muslin apron. Women's headwear is quite diverse.
Anthropologically, the Estonians differ significantly from other Finno-Ugric peoples. The skull of the Estonians is mesocephalic (while the Lapps are brachycephalic, and the Lapps are dolichocephalic); cheekbones very sharply protruding to the side, a long narrow nose, with quadrangular brow ridges. The female skull has characteristic differences: it is much smaller in volume and wider relative to its length.
The Ests are taller than average (often 170 centimeters), with a strong, stocky build. Women have characteristic features both in the structure of the pelvis and in the overall massiveness of their physique, differing in health and strength. The skin color is white, the hair is most often light brown, often light brown. The eyes are light, grayish-blue. Neither women nor men cut their hair, but wear it loose over their shoulders under a scarf or under a headdress. The Estonians shave their beards and mustaches.
The distinctive character traits of the Estonians are stubbornness and rancor, despite their patience and general gentleness. When enraged, the est becomes cruel and vindictive. In general, Estonians are decisive, courageous, resourceful in danger, very honest, but not averse to laziness and carelessness.
They look at a woman solely as a worker, without particularly caring about her moral behavior. Morals are quite free. The number of illegitimate births reaches 6 percent. Divorces are extremely rare.
