Modern Estonia. Republic of Estonia - general information

Most residents Western Europe, and even more so Asia and the United States, are unlikely to be able to find Estonia on the world map. But so much the worse for them, because Estonia is not just small country in the Baltic. Estonia is an amazing Baltic nature, medieval fortresses, numerous museums, amber, the Baltic Sea, as well as balneological and beach resorts.

Estonia is located in the Baltic Northern Europe. In the south, Estonia borders on Latvia, in the east - on Russia. In the north and west, Estonia is washed by the waters Baltic Sea. total area of this country is 45,227 sq. km., including the islands, and the total length of the border is 1,450 km.

55% of the territory of Estonia is occupied by forests. The highest point in the country is Mount Suur-Munamägi on the Haanja Upland, whose height is only 318 meters.

There are a lot of lakes in Estonia, the largest of them are Lake Peipus in the east and Võrtsjärv in the south of the country.

The capital of Estonia is Tallinn, which is now home to more than 420 thousand people. Archaeologists believe that the first human settlements on the territory of modern Tallinn appeared about 2 thousand years ago.

The official language in Estonia is Estonian, which belongs to the Finnish branch of the Uralic language family.

About 14% of the Estonian population belongs to the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church, and about 10% of Estonians are Orthodox Christians. The rest of Estonians do not believe in God.

According to the 1992 constitution, Estonia is a parliamentary republic, headed by the President, who is elected by the country's Parliament.

The Estonian Parliament consists of 101 deputies who are elected for a 4-year term. Executive power belongs to the President, the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers.

The climate in Estonia is temperate, transitional from maritime to continental. Average annual temperature air is +5.2C. In general, the Estonian climate is determined by Atlantic Ocean and the Baltic Sea. The average amount of precipitation per year is 568 mm.

Average air temperature in Tallinn:

January – -5C
- February - -6C
- March - -3C
- April - +3С
- May - +8C
- June - +13C
- July - +16C
- August - +15C
- September - +11С
- October - +6C
- November - +1С
- December - -3C

In the north and west, Estonia is washed by the waters of the Baltic Sea (Gulf of Finland). The length of the Estonian coast of the Baltic Sea is 768.6 km. There are more than 1,500 islands in Estonia, the largest of which are Saaremaa, Hiiumaa and Muhumaa (Muhu).

The temperature of the Baltic Sea near the Estonian coast reaches +17C in summer. In the bays, the water warms up better in summer, and exceeds +20C.

There are 200 rivers and about 1,500 lakes in Estonia. Rivers in northern Estonia form picturesque rapids and waterfalls. The highest Estonian waterfall is Valaste (30.5 m).

Several beautiful rivers- Piusa, Ahya and Vyhandu. By the way, Vyhandu is the most long river in Estonia (162 km).

There are a lot of lakes in Estonia, the largest of them are Lake Peipus in the east and Võrtsjärv in the ege of the country. In general, lakes occupy 6% of the territory of Estonia. On the shore Lake Peipsi there is the longest Estonian sandy beach - 30 km.

People in the area modern Estonia appeared about 11 thousand years ago. The first state formations in Estonia began to appear in the 1st century AD. In the 9th-11th centuries, Scandinavian Vikings (mainly Swedes) often attacked the territory of modern Estonia.

Before the adoption of Christianity, Estonians were pagans who believed in a higher being - Tharapita.

From 1228 to the 1560s, Estonia was part of the Holy Roman Empire (it was conquered by the Livonian Order).

In 1629 most of Estonia came under Swedish rule. The first university in Estonia was founded in 1632 in Dorpat (Tartu).

In 1721, according to the Treaty of Nystadt, Estonia was included in the Russian Empire. Only after the First World War in 1918 was the independence of Estonia declared.

According to the 1939 agreement between Germany and the USSR, Estonia is included in the zone of interests of Joseph Stalin. On August 6, 1940, Estonia was incorporated into the USSR as the Estonian SSR.

Estonia's independence was restored on August 20, 1991. Estonia has been a member of the European Union since 2004.

Estonians, like other nations, are very proud of their culture. The government of the country is making efforts to preserve not only archaeological, historical and architectural monuments, but also intangible monuments. Thus, in Estonia there are currently 7 government programs for the preservation of intangible traditional culture (we are talking about songs, music, dances, etc.).

Back in 1869, the first Estonian folk music and dance festival was held in Tartu. Now the tradition of this festival continues. Estonian Music and Dance Festival in Tartu is now listed as intangible cultural heritage UNESCO.

The most popular holidays among Estonians are New Year, Independence Day, Easter, Midsummer Day, Restoration of Independence Day and Christmas.

Estonian cuisine is quite simple, there are no gourmet dishes in it. But now Estonian cuisine already includes the most popular dishes of international cuisine. However, in Estonia the most typical products are still black bread, pork, potatoes, fish and dairy products.

We advise tourists in Estonia to definitely try the following traditional Estonian dishes: beer soup, bean soup, soup with dumplings and meat, brawn, black pudding, Baltic herring in vinegar, pike in oil, stewed pike with horseradish, herring casserole, mulgi porridge » with sauerkraut, honey cake, cabbage pie, baked apples.

In Estonia, the traditional non-alcoholic drink is kali made with yeast, to which juniper berries are added.

As for alcoholic beverages in Estonia, this is, of course, beer and vodka. Estonians have been making vodka since about the 15th century, but it still cannot compete with beer in popularity.

Estonians have always been sensitive to their history. Therefore, we advise tourists in Estonia to definitely see:

1. Toompea Castle in Tallinn
2. Kiek-in-de-Kök tower in Tallinn
3. Hermann Castle in Narva
4. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Tallinn
5. Rakvere fortress in northern Estonia
6. Kadriorg Palace in Tallinn
7. Lahemaa National Park
8. Oleviste Church in Tallinn
9. Dome Cathedral in Tartu
10. Open Air Museum in Tallinn

The largest Estonian cities are Tartu, Pärnu, Kohtla-Järve, Narva, and of course. Tallinn.

In Estonia, on the Baltic Sea, there are several good beach resorts. By the way, beach season in Estonia it usually starts in mid-May and lasts until mid-September. The most popular Estonian beach resorts are Pärnu, Narva-Jõesuu, Haapsalu, Toile and Kuressaare. There are also beaches on the shores of Lake Peipus.

But tourists come to Estonia not only to swim in the Baltic Sea and see local attractions. Estonia has some excellent balneological resorts. The most famous of them are Pärnu, Värska, Kuressaare, Pühajärve and Vimsi.

Tourists from Estonia usually bring handicrafts, iron ashtrays, wooden beer mugs, black Estonian chocolate, marzipan, dolls in traditional Estonian clothes, amber, and Vana Tallinn liqueur.

- this question is asked by those who are planning a visit to this country at the most favorable time for relaxation - from May to September. Summer is suitable for country rest, bathing and beach pastime, recovery. As for winter, those who wish can spend time in winter parks and ski centers on the basis of low slopes, as well as to take part in the celebration of the February 10-day Ice Festival.

Estonia: where is this Baltic country located?

Estonia (capital - Tallinn), with an area of ​​45227 sq. km (on coastline accounts for 3794 km) is European state in the north-east Baltic coast, which is washed by the waters of Riga and Gulf of Finland. WITH south side with Estonia ( highest point- 318-meter mountain Suur-Munamägi) borders, and on the east -. Concerning maritime border, then it passes off the Finnish coast.

More than 2350 islands belong to Estonia, among which are Muhu, Saaremaa, Hiiumaa and others. In addition, the country is divided into Pärnu County, Rapla County, Tartu County, Valgamaa, Harju County and other counties (there are 15 in total).

How to get to Estonia?

The flight is operated by Aeroflot, on board of which passengers spend a little more than 1.5 hours. A stop at the airport stretches the trip by 7.5 hours, - by 5.5 hours, Frankfurt - by 6.5 hours. Until you have to fly 6 hours if you transfer on board 2 aircraft in Tallinn or 7 hours in Riga. Those moving along the route Moscow - will stop for a rest at the airport terminal of the Finnish capital, because of which they will be able to be on the spot 8 hours after takeoff.

There is a train to the Estonian capital (departure - Leningrad Station) - he spends 14 hours on the road, as well as buses from St. Petersburg ("Ecolines" and BalticShuttle).

Holidays in Estonia

Estonian holidays can be spent in (Narva Fortress, Herman's Castle, Alexander Cathedral, Narva Bastions of the 17th century, art Gallery, where the festival of arts is held on the last May Sunday), Tallinn (famous for the house of the Brotherhood of the Blackheads, Dome Cathedral, Toompea Castle, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Niguliste Church, 314-meter TV tower, where you can climb to admire the breathtaking views, using telescopes, walk along edge observation deck at a height of 170 meters, have a bite to eat in a restaurant on the 22nd floor), Tartu (here it is worth seeing the Town Hall, the Church of St. John of the 14th century, the ruins of the Peter and Paul Dome Cathedral of the 13-15th centuries, climb Toomemägi Hill, visit the Oskar Luts House Museum, have fun in the Aura Keskus water park), Pärnu (guests are offered to treat joints, bones, heart, lungs, nerves, skin in the Estonia health and treatment center; relax on sandy beach where a play area is provided for children, surrounded by pine forest and dunes; see the Pärnus Town Hall, the Tallinn Gates, the Churches of the Transfiguration and Elizabeth).

Estonian beaches

• Pikakari beach: this beach is equipped with an ice cream shop, 3 cabanas, outdoor showers, a sanitary corner, a rental of sun loungers, umbrellas and equipment for games, a basketball, volleyball and barbecue area. There are 2 lifeguards and free rides for children.
• Pirita beach: a 2-kilometer beach, on which the Blue Flag flutters, pleases vacationers with the garbage containers available there (70), swings (17), changing cabins (40), toilets, sunbeds, showers, umbrellas (rental of beach equipment - 4 euros /day). In addition, there is a rescue team of 3 people and a surfers club.

Souvenirs from Estonia

Knitted mittens, hats and scarves, marzipan figurines, Kalev chocolate, almonds, handmade soap, Vana Tallinn liqueur, juniper products, amber can become Estonian souvenirs.

Estonia is among three countries, which in Russia are usually called the Baltic republics. This is a small country that is part of the EU and NATO.

Estonia on the world map is located next to Russia. This is the northernmost Baltic state, bordering on the Leningrad region.

Estonia on the map of the world and Europe in Russian

The official name of the country - Republic of Estonia . This is a small state, occupying 134th place in the world in terms of its territory. The country lives in the same time zone with Eastern European time - GMT + 2, so there is no time difference with the capital of Russia.

The population of the Republic of Estonia is only 1.31 million people.

Capital

Capital of Estonia Tallinn is a major port city world heritage UNESCO. All major cities are concentrated in its old part. Many buildings in it date back to the 13th-15th centuries.

At the top of the old city is Toompea Castle. It was built in the 13th century by German knights. It currently houses the country's parliament. The tower located in the southern part of the castle Long German is the national symbol of Estonia.

The heart of the old city Town Hall Square. Along its perimeter are old houses. Since the 15th century, every year on Town Hall Square installed main tree countries. The lower part of the city is surrounded on one side by a 2 km long fortress wall with 20 towers. The height of the wall is 14-16 meters. The thickness of the fortress walls is 3 m.

Big cities

There are no cities in Estonia with more than a million inhabitants. The largest cities in the country, in addition to Tallinn: Pärnu, Narva and Tartu. The population of these cities is constantly decreasing.

On this moment, according to various estimates, in the most major cities less than 100,000 people live in the country.

According to the census Population cities is:

1. Tartu– 95,000 people (the city is located in Tartumaa County);
2. Narva– 62,000 people (the city is located in Ida-Viumaa county);
3. Parnu- a little over 40,000 people (the city is located in Pärnu County).

Most Old city country - Tallinn. Among the most beautiful settlements Estonia:

• Kuressaare. The city is surrounded by the moat of the old castle and fortress walls, has a cozy beach.
• Haapsalu. The main attraction of the seaside town is the medieval episcopal castle.
• Rakvere. The city is popular with tourists. Its main attraction is the ruined castle built on Vallimägi hill.

The exact location of Estonia on the map of Europe is in this video:

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When it comes to the Baltic countries, one can immediately imagine a mild climate, most people who do not require knowledge foreign language, but they understand you speaking Russian. Estonia, being one of these republics, boasts not only that it produces stunningly beautiful wooden and knitted products, but also beautiful capital- Tallinn. This amazing city, as well as . The twentieth century was incredibly full of events in the history of this city. For 100 years, Tallinn managed to be part of several states and repeatedly change its name.

Getting to Tallinn

A plane from Russia arrives at the Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport after a two-hour flight. If you are flying from Moscow, then the cost of a return ticket to Tallinn will be about one hundred and fifteen dollars per person. From St. Petersburg, a ticket costs about the same, as well as the flight also takes two hours. Quite fast buses depart from the airport to the city center.

If the option with the plane does not suit you, then there is an opportunity to go to the capital of Estonia by train. Between Tallinn and two Russian cities, Moscow and St. Petersburg, railway tracks were built. Travel time will be about six hours, but you can drive and see the nature of the Baltic states.

Climate of Tallinn

Tallinn is a Baltic city, therefore, like in any other city in this region, on the hottest days the thermometer needle does not exceed 30 degrees. Here nature can bring surprises in the form of flowering trees in February and heavy rains in summer. In summer, the air temperature is about plus twenty degrees, and in winter it varies from zero to minus five degrees. To visit the country as a tourist, the period April-May is recommended, as the temperature is warm and the amount of precipitation is much lower than in other periods of the year. Also during this period, you can go to sea on ships with less risk of getting caught in a storm.

Restaurants worth visiting

In Tallinn, you can find dishes for every taste. Here you can find a variety of seafood and meat dishes. name national food Estonia, like any other Baltic country, refined is impossible. Here you should not expect anything particularly different from Russian cuisine, but you can still find differences and some tourists even like these differences.
If you want to taste delicious Estonian or Baltic cuisine in Tallinn, then you should go to the Rataskaevu 16 restaurant. There you will be offered delicious dishes of Estonian and Baltic cuisine, as well as full service.

Restaurant "Von Krahli Aed" is also ready to offer a good range of dishes at fairly low prices.

Fans of more exotic oriental cuisine can go to the Vietnamese restaurant "Saegon". Sociable and friendly staff will offer you a good choice among various oriental dishes.

For those who prefer Mediterranean food that is close to Spanish or Italian cuisine, then you can have a great lunch while sitting in the Pulcinella Italia Restaurant. You can taste Estonian and relatively not very expensive fast food by going to Texas Honky Tonk and Cantina.

Popular excursions for tourists

It is best to start your journey, of course, from the heart of Tallinn - its main Town Hall Square. Here you can find many beautiful buildings that were created in different centuries and in different eras. One of the main buildings is the city hall building.

Head to the old town of Tallinn and visit the various architectural delights of medieval Estonia. It will take about two hours to walk around the entire old town and listen to the history of the main attractions of this area of ​​Tallinn from the guide. There are many buildings here, related not only to different styles architecture, but also different religions. There are Orthodox buildings, and there are Lutheran ones. The cost of the tour can be forty euros.

You can also go a few kilometers from the city, and you will discover amazing beauty view. A large number of various waterfalls will not leave indifferent tourists.

Fans of cultural education can visit a number of theaters in Tallinn. You can visit national opera"Estonia", which was founded in the nineteenth century. To watch performances in Russian, you can go to the "Russian Theater of Estonia".

What hotels can you stay in

In the capital of Estonia, you can find rooms in hotels of any class. The choice for tourists may depend on the cost of this room and the conditions that the hotel is ready to provide for a comfortable stay in it.

Two-star hotels like the Center Hotel have fairly spacious rooms. This hotel will offer you free Wi-Fi internet, as well as invite you to have breakfast for buffet. Buses run from the hotel to the Zoological Park and the city's airport.
The three-star Boutique Hotel Old Town Maestros will offer rooms with an excellent shower room, as well as terraces and good view to the city. Guests of the hotel have the opportunity to exercise in the fitness room.

IN four star hotel"Meriton Grand Conference and Spa Hotel" You can order a room, which is made in modern style. Here you will be offered to visit the hotel sauna and relax in the guest room. You can also use the services of a solarium and get an artificial tan.

Five-star hotels like Radisson Blu Hotel Tallinn and Hotel Telegraaf have the best conditions in the capital. Here you can use the services of the gym, and swim in the crystal clear cool pool and relax in a comfortable hotel room.

Basic prices for travelers in Tallinn

We can say that prices in the capital of Estonia are very democratic in relation to the guests of the capital. Here you can spend the night relatively inexpensively in good hotel, dine in a decent restaurant or cafe, and buy yourself exclusive items from young Estonian designers.

The cost of a night in a two-star hotel starts from thirty-eight dollars, and can reach ninety-one dollars, as, for example, at the Center Hotel. Three-star hotels are ready to issue a room at a minimum cost of sixty-one dollars per night. The most expensive three-star hotel will provide a room in their suite for one hundred and five US dollars. The four-star Meriton Grand Conference and Spa Hotel offers a hotel room for one hundred and forty US dollars per night. In the five-star Radisson Blu Hotel Tallinn, you can book a room for one hundred and fifty dollars per night.

Dine in Tallinn can be quite cheap. In fast food establishments, you can eat for about seven US dollars. In oriental restaurants, you can order a full meal for only fifteen US dollars. In the restaurant of traditional Estonian cuisine "Rataskaev16" you will have to leave from thirty US dollars for dinner.

Population of Tallinn

Today, a little less than four hundred and fifty thousand people live in the capital of Estonia. The population of the city has always been dependent on who owned the city. At the time of belonging to Germany, more Germans lived there, when the city became part of the USSR, they moved there Russian population. Now, as the city and capital of free Estonia, seventy-five percent of Estonians live in Tallinn. However, the second people living in this wonderful city are Russians. There are about twenty percent of them in the city. The rest of the peoples who live in Tallinn are Poles, Ukrainians, Belarusians, Jews and others.

Shopping in Tallinn

In Tallinn is a large number of variety of boutiques and shops. Shops of shoes and classic men's clothing are very popular here. This is due, first of all, to the culture that the city has instilled. A large number of various offices and business centers are located here. Thanks to this fact, Tallinn can be safely called a business city.

Very popular with locals and tourists shopping mall Christine Keskus. In the huge premises of the shopping center, you can find everything you need for yourself, as well as for your home or car. Here are some of the most expensive shops Tallinn. Louis Vuitton, Hugo Boss, Armani are just a few of the high-end clothing stores that can be found in the city.

On Viru Square you can also find quite expensive boutiques and fashion stores, which are combined into one large shopping center "Viru Keskus". Here you can also find quite nice shops that sell the finest porcelain products and accessories, as well as all kinds of gift souvenirs for tourists of the city. One of the main marketplaces of the city can be considered "Ülimiste", where you can not only buy yourself a few beautiful things, but also enjoy the Scandinavian-style interior.

Tallinn establishments: clubs, museums, lookouts

As for museums, there are a lot of them in Tallinn. Museums in the city have been rebuilt over many centuries, and now you can find many museums here that were built in different time. Here you can find various museums, some of which can be useful for adults, while others are very interesting for young children.

The most popular museum among tourists in Tallinn are the large sea ​​gate, as well as a tower called "Fat Margaret". At one time, this building was built for a reason, but in order to protect the city of Tallinn from sea attacks. Then the gates simply caused great impressions on the guests of the city, and even later, these buildings were turned into a museum, which tells the history of the Estonian navy. Children will be interested in going to the children's museum. Here they can find a great variety of puppets, which were created by Estonian puppet masters.

In Tallinn, you can also find several clubs where the night life. If you like more exclusive and sophisticated music, then you should go to "Club Prive". It plays great live music in the style of jazz and pop. For more incendiary and rhythmic music, it is better to go to Venus Club.

What sights can be seen in Tallinn

The Estonian capital has a combination of past and present. Modern buildings of the city in conjunction with historical architectural monuments create an unforgettable atmosphere in which you plunge completely and irrevocably. There is a huge number of various museums where you can find not only the masterpieces of the great artists of the past, but also excellent works of modern masters.

But museums are only one of the components of the legendary Estonian city. There is an interesting zoo here, which was built in the thirties of the twentieth century. Also in the capital of Estonia is one of the most high TV towers Baltic States, yielding only to Riga. With a height of three hundred and fourteen meters, the TV tower can even make it possible to see the coast of Finland from its observation deck in clear weather.

There are parks of stunning beauty and cleanliness in Tallinn. If you want to take a walk under the branchy trees and plunge into nature that resembles British nature, then you can go to the Rannamägi Bastion, which is very popular among the city's residents. The city also has the Governor's Garden, which is rightfully considered the best park in Tallinn. Here, in addition to the usual walk, you can arrange a mini tour of the sights that are present in the park.