Kuressaare () is a

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

on Saaremaa island in

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...

. It is the administrative centre of Saaremaa Parish and the capital of Saare County. Kuressaare is the westernmost town in Estonia. The recorded population on 1 January 2018 was 13,276. The town is situated on the southern coast of Saaremaa island, facing the

Gulf of Riga The Gulf of Riga, Bay of Riga, or Gulf of Livonia ( lv, Rīgas līcis, et, Liivi laht) is a bay of the Baltic Sea between Latvia and Estonia. The island of Saaremaa (Estonia) partially separates it from the rest of the Baltic Sea. The main con ...

of the

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the North and Central European Plain. The sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from ...

, and is served by the

Kuressaare Airport Kuressaare Airport ( et, Kuressaare lennujaam, ) is an airport in Estonia. The airport is situated south southeast of Kuressaare on Saaremaa island. Overview The first runway was built in the last half of the 1930s. The airport was opened offic ...

, Roomassaare harbour, and Kuressaare yacht harbour.

Names

Kuressaare's historic name Arensburg (from

Middle High German Middle High German (MHG; german: Mittelhochdeutsch (Mhd.)) is the term for the form of German spoken in the High Middle Ages. It is conventionally dated between 1050 and 1350, developing from Old High German and into Early New High German. High ...

''a(a)r:''

eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...

, raptor) renders the

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

denotation ''arx aquilae'' for the city's castle. The fortress and the eagle,

tetramorph A tetramorph is a symbolic arrangement of four differing elements, or the combination of four disparate elements in one unit. The term is derived from the Greek ''tetra'', meaning four, and ''morph'', shape. In Christian art, the tetramorph is t ...

symbol of Saint John the Evangelist, are also depicted on Kuressaare's coat of arms. The town, which grew around the fortress, was simultaneously known as Arensburg and Kuressaarelinn; the latter name being a combination of ''Kuressaare''—an ancient name of the Saaremaa Island—and ''linn'', which means ''town''.Pospelov, p. 28 Alternatively, the town's name may come from ''kurg'' (''crane'') and ''saare'' (''island''), a name that may have come from the city's German name and coat of arms, or may have existed before German settlers arrived. Eventually, the town's name shortened to Kuressaare and became official in 1918 after Estonia had declared its independence from

Bolshevist Russia The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Russian SFSR or RSFSR ( rus, Российская Советская Федеративная Социалистическая Республика, Rossíyskaya Sovétskaya Federatívnaya Soci ...

. Under

Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

rule, the town was renamed Kingissepa in 1952. This name came from the

Bolshevik The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...

Kuressaare-native

Viktor Kingissepp Viktor Eduard Kingissepp ( in Karmel (now ) – 4 May 1922 in Tallinn) was an Estonian communist politician, the leader of the Estonian Communist Party. The son of a factory worker, he joined a Marxist circle as a schoolboy in Arensburg (now ...

executed in 1922. The name Kuressaare was restored in 1988.

History

The town first appeared on maps around 1154. The island of Saaremaa (

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

, sv, Ösel) was conquered by the Livonian Brothers of the Sword under

Volkwin Volkwin von Naumburg zu Winterstätten (also ''Wolquin, Folkwin, Folkvin, Wolguinus, Wolgulin'', Middle High German: ''Volkewîn''; died 22 September 1236) was the Master (''Herrenmeister'') of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword from 1209 to 123 ...

of Naumburg in 1227, who merged with the

Teutonic Knights The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, commonly known as the Teutonic Order, is a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. It was formed to aid Christians on ...

shortly afterwards. The first documentation of the castle (''arx aquilae'') was found in Latin texts written in 1381 and 1422. Over time, a town, which became known as Arensburg or Kuressaarelinn, grew and flourished around the fortress. It became the see of the Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek established by Albert of Riga in 1228, part of the Terra Mariana. Johann von Münchhausen, bishop since 1542, converted to

Protestantism Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...

. With the advance of the troops of Tsar Ivan IV of Russia in the course of the Livonian War, Münchhausen sold his lands to King

Frederick II of Denmark Frederick II (1 July 1534 – 4 April 1588) was King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Schleswig and Holstein from 1559 until his death. A member of the House of Oldenburg, Frederick began his personal rule of Denmark-Norway at the age of ...

in 1559 and returned to Germany. Frederick sent his younger brother Prince Magnus to Kuressaare where he was elected bishop the following year. It was through his influence that the city obtained its

civic charter Town privileges or borough rights were important features of European towns during most of the second millennium. The city law customary in Central Europe probably dates back to Italian models, which in turn were oriented towards the tradition ...

in 1563, modeled after that of

Riga Riga (; lv, Rīga , liv, Rīgõ) is the capital and largest city of Latvia and is home to 605,802 inhabitants which is a third of Latvia's population. The city lies on the Gulf of Riga at the mouth of the Daugava river where it meets the Ba ...

. The bishopric was finally

secularised In sociology, secularization (or secularisation) is the transformation of a society from close identification with religious values and institutions toward non-religious values and secular institutions. The ''secularization thesis'' expresses the ...

in 1572 and Kuressaare fell to the Danish Crown. In 1645, it passed to

Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

control through the Treaty of Brömsebro after the Danish defeat in the

Torstenson War The Torstenson war, Hannibal controversy or Hannibal War ( no, Hannibalsfeiden) was a short period of conflict between Sweden and Denmark–Norway from 1643 to 1645 towards the end of the Thirty Years' War. The names refer to Swedish general L ...

. Queen Christina of Sweden granted her favourite, Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie, the title of Count of Arensburg, the German and

name for Kuressaare at that time. The city was burnt to the ground by Russian troops in 1710 during the

Great Northern War The Great Northern War (1700–1721) was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedi ...

and suffered heavily from the

plague Plague or The Plague may refer to: Agriculture, fauna, and medicine *Plague (disease), a disease caused by ''Yersinia pestis'' * An epidemic of infectious disease (medical or agricultural) * A pandemic caused by such a disease * A swarm of pes ...

. Abandoned by the Swedes, it was incorporated into the Governorate of Livonia of the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...

through the

Treaty of Nystad The Treaty of Nystad (russian: Ништадтский мир; fi, Uudenkaupungin rauha; sv, Freden i Nystad; et, Uusikaupunki rahu) was the last peace treaty of the Great Northern War of 1700–1721. It was concluded between the Tsardom of ...

in 1721. During the 19th century Kuressaare became a popular

seaside resort A seaside resort is a resort town, town, village, or hotel that serves as a Resort, vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requirements, suc ...

on the Baltic coast. During

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, between September and October 1917, German land and naval forces occupied Saaremaa with

Operation Albion Operation Albion was a World War I German air, land and naval operation against the Russian forces in October 1917 to occupy the West Estonian Archipelago. The land campaign opened with German landings at the Tagalaht bay on the island of S ...

. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, the Battle of Tehumardi took place. In October 1990, Kuressaare was the first town in Estonia to regain its self-governing status.

Neighborhoods of Kuressaare

There are nine neighborhoods of Kuressaare: *Ida-Niidu *Kesklinn *Kellamäe *Marientali *Põllu alev *Roomassaare *Smuuli *Suuremõisa *Tori.

Landmarks and culture

The medieval episcopal

Kuressaare Castle Kuressaare Castle ( et, Kuressaare linnus; german: Schloss Arensburg), also Kuressaare Episcopal Castle, ( et, Kuressaare piiskopilinnus), is a castle in Kuressaare on Saaremaa island, in western Estonia. History The earliest written record men ...

today houses the Saaremaa Regional Museum. The original wooden castle was constructed between 1338 and 1380, although other sources claim a fortress was built in Kuressaare as early as 1260. In 1968, architect began studies on Kuressaare Castle. The town hall was originally built in 1654, and restored, retaining classicist and baroque features. It was last restored in the 1960s with dolomite stairs at the front. St Nicolaus Church was built in 1790. The annual

Saaremaa Opera Days Saaremaa Opera Festival ( et, Saaremaa ooperipäevad) is an international music festival which focuses on opera music. The festival takes place in Kuressaare, Saaremaa, Estonia. This festival is the oldest music festival in Estonia focused on op ...

(''Saaremaa Ooperipäevad'') have been held in Kuressaare each summer since 1999. Other festivals include

Kuressaare Chamber Music Days Kuressaare () is a town on Saaremaa island in Estonia. It is the administrative centre of Saaremaa Parish and the capital of Saare County. Kuressaare is the westernmost town in Estonia. The recorded population on 1 January 2018 was 13,276. Th ...

(''Kuressaare Kammermuusika Päevad''), held since 1995 and

Kuressaare Maritime Festival Kuressaare () is a town on Saaremaa island in Estonia. It is the administrative centre of Saaremaa Parish and the capital of Saare County. Kuressaare is the westernmost town in Estonia. The recorded population on 1 January 2018 was 13,276. ...

(''Kuressaare Merepäevad''), held since 1998. Kuressaare also hosts the

FC Kuressaare FC Kuressaare, commonly known as Kuressaare, is a professional football club, based in Kuressaare, Saaremaa, Estonia. The club's home ground is Kuressaare linnastaadion. Founded on 14 March 1997, the club competes in the Meistriliiga, the top tie ...

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

club.

Climate

Economy

Transportation

Kuressaare is served by

, located on a peninsula southeast of the town. There is regular traffic to Tallinn, as well as seasonal flights to the island of

Ruhnu Ruhnu ( sv, Runö; german: Runö; lv, Roņu sala) is an Estonian island in the Gulf of Riga in the Baltic Sea. It is administratively part of Saare County but is geographically closer to the Latvian mainland. At , it has currently fewer than 100 ...

. There are bus connections around the island, as well as with Kuivastu on Muhu Island, a ferry terminal with connection to the mainland. In 1917, during the German occupation, an urban railway was built in Kuressaare, and in 1918, it was transferred to the town administration. It connected the port with the city center/ One of the stations was provisionally located in Kurhouse, and in 1924, the dedicated Park Station was built. The railway functioned until the 1930s when it was gradually disused and mostly dismantled. An attempt to revive the railway in the beginning of the 1950s, during the Soviet period, was unsuccessful, and ended up with rails fully removed from the streets.

Notable people

Adam Georg von Agthe Adam Georg von Agthe (12 August 1777 – 26 August 1826) was a major general in the Imperial Russian Army during the Napoleonic Wars. He was also known by his Russian name Egor Andreevich Akhte (russian: Егор Андреевич Ахте). Bio ...

(1777–1826), Russian military officer *

Tiiu Aro Tiiu Aro (born June 18, 1952 in Kuressaare) is an Estonian physician and politician. She is a former Minister of Social Affairs of Estonia The Ministry of Social Affairs of Estonia ( et, Eesti Sotsiaalministeerium) is a government ministry ...

(born 1952), Estonian physician and politician *

Eugen Dücker Eugen Gustav Dücker (also ''Eugène Gustav Dücker''; , in Arensburg (now Kuressaare, Estonia) – 6 December 1916, in Düsseldorf) was a Baltic German painter, in the Romantic atyle, associated with the Düsseldorfer Malerschule. Biograph ...

(1841–1916), Baltic German painter *

Maria Faust Maria Faust (born 18 April 1979) is an Estonian jazz saxophonist. She has worked with John Parish and Mark Howard. She frequently tours in western Europe and has performanced in the Balkan Peninsula The Balkans ( ), also known as t ...

(born 1979), Estonian saxophone player and composer * Bernd Freytag von Loringhoven (1914–2007), German military officer *

Louis Kahn Louis Isadore Kahn (born Itze-Leib Schmuilowsky; – March 17, 1974) was an Estonian-born American architect based in Philadelphia. After working in various capacities for several firms in Philadelphia, he founded his own atelier in 1935. Whi ...

(1901–1974), American architect *

Madis Kallas Madis Kallas (born 22 April 1981) is an Estonian decathlete and politician, Minister of the Environment of Estonia. From 2017 to 2020 and again from 2021 to 2022 he was the mayor of Saaremaa Municipality Saaremaa Municipality, also known as ...

(born 1981), Estonian decathlete and politician *

(1888–1922), Estonian communist politician * Heli Lääts (1932–2018), Estonian singer *

Karl Patrick Lauk Karl Patrick Lauk (born 9 January 1997 in Kuressaare) is an Estonian cyclist, who currently rides for UCI ProTeam . Major results ;2016 : 5th Time trial, National Road Championships ;2017 : 1st Overall Tour of Estonia ::1st Points classifica ...

(born 1997), Estonian cyclist *

Tullio Liblik Tullio Liblik (born November 12, 1964 in Kuressaare) is an Estonian entrepreneur, the CEO and member of the board of the investment company Saarte Investeering and the chairman of the council of Kuressaare Regional Training Centre. Education * ...

(born 1964), Estonian entrepreneur *

Jörgen Liik Jörgen Liik (born 12 March 1990) is an Estonians, Estonian stage, film and television actor. Early life and education Jörgen Liik was born in Kuressaare, Saare County on the island of Saaremaa. He attended primary school at Orissaare Gymnasium ...

(born 1990), Estonian actor * Ivo Linna (born 1949), Estonian singer * Richard Maack (1825–1886), Russian naturalist *

Konstantin Märska Konstantin Märska ( in Kuressaare, Saaremaa, Governorate of Livonia, Russian Empire – 30 August 1951 in Tallinn) was an Estonian cinematographer and film director. Märska is buried at the Rahumäe cemetery in Tallinn Tallinn () is the ...

(1896–1951), Estonian cinematographer and film director * Gerd Neggo (1891–1974), Estonian dancer and choreographer *

Marek Niit Marek Niit (born 9 August 1987, in Kuressaare) is a sprinter from Estonia who won gold medal at the 200 metres at the 2006 World Junior Championships in Athletics in Beijing, China. He is also the current national record holder in 100 metre ...

(born 1987), Estonian sprinter *

Sulev Nõmmik Sulev Nõmmik (11 January 1931, in Tallinn – 28 July 1992, in Kuressaare) was an Estonian theatre and movie director, actor, humorist and comedian. He's mostly associated with the comical character of Kärna Ärni and the related fictional villa ...

(1931–1992), Estonian actor, director, humorist and dancer * Tiidrek Nurme (born 1985), Estonian runner *

Margus Oopkaup Margus Oopkaup (born 11 March 1959) is an Estonian stage, film and television actor and playwright who was engaged at the Endla Theatre from 1982 to 2000. In 1983, he was awarded the Best Young Actor award for his performance in the film '' Nipe ...

(born 1959), Estonian actor *

Mikk Pahapill Mikk Pahapill (born 18 July 1983) is a retired Estonian decathlete. His personal best score is 8398 points, achieved at the 2011 Hypo-Meeting in Götzis. His coach is Remigija Nazarovienė. He won the 2009 European Indoor Championships in hepta ...

(born 1983), Estonian decathlete *

Grete Paia Grete Paia (born 27 August 1995) is an Estonian singer and songwriter. She is best known internationally for competing in ''Eesti Laul 2013'' and later in '' Eesti Laul 2016''. She also competed in Eesti Laul 2019 and in Eesti Laul 2022 in a d ...

(born 1995), Estonian singer and songwriter *

Tõnis Palts Tõnis Palts (born 29 March 1953, in Kuressaare) is an Estonian politician and former mayor of Tallinn and Minister of Finance. References :''This article incorporates information from the equivalent article on the Estonian Wikipedia ...

(born 1953), Estonian politician and businessman *

Jüri Pihl Jüri Pihl (17 March 1954 – 3 February 2019) was an Estonian politician, a member of the Social Democratic Party. From 1993 to 2003 he served as the General Director of Kaitsepolitsei, the central security institution in Estonia. After that, f ...

(1954–2019), Estonian police officer and politician *

Keith Pupart Keith Pupart (born 19 March 1985) is an Estonian volleyball player who plays for Romanian Divizia A1 club SCM U Craiova. Estonian national team As a member of the senior Estonia men's national volleyball team, Pupart competed at the 2009, the ...

(born 1985), Estonian volleyball player * Ilmar Raag (born 1968), Estonian film director and media personality *

Mihkel Räim Mihkel Räim (born 3 July 1993) is an Estonian cyclist, who currently rides for UCI Continental team ATT Investments in Czech Republic.In October 2020, he was named in the startlist for the 2020 Vuelta a España. He is four time Estonian national ...

(born 1993), Estonian cyclist *

Tuuli Rand Tuuli Rand (born 1 March 1990 in Kuressaare, Saaremaa) is an Estonian singer. Early life and education She is a graduate of Kuressaare Gymnasium and Georg Ots Music Singing School. Career She is the lead singer in bands TuuliKustiPeep, Funkif ...

(born 1990), Estonian singer *

Getter Saar Getter Saar may refer to: * Getter Saar (badminton) * Getter Saar (footballer) {{hndis, Saar, Getter ...

(born 1992), Estonian badminton player *

Indrek Saar Indrek Saar (born February 20, 1973) is an Estonian actor and politician, leader of the Social Democratic Party, and former Minister of Culture. Saar attended secondary school in Kuressaare and graduated from the Estonian Academy of Music and Hig ...

(born 1973), Estonian actor and politician * Benno Schotz (1891–1984), Scottish sculptor * Hannibal Sehested (1609–1666), Danish statesman *

Karen Sehested Karen Sehested (1606-1672) was a Danish court official and land owner. She served as principal lady-in-waiting and royal governess for the children of King Christian IV of Denmark and Kirsten Munk from 1631 to 1634. She was portrayed in the famous ...

(1606–1672), Danish court official *

Adeele Sepp Adeele Sepp (also credited by her married name Adeele Jaago; born 10 November 1989) is an Estonian stage, film, and television actress. Early life and education Adeele Sepp was born in Kuressaare, on the island of Saaremaa in 1989. Her parents d ...

(born 1989), Estonian actor *

Jaanus Tamkivi Jaanus Tamkivi (born 17 November 1959 in Kuressaare) is an Estonian politician of the Estonian Reform Party. He was Mayor of Kuressaare from 1996 to 2005, a member of the Riigikogu from 2005 to 2015, and the Minister of the Environment from 2007 ...

(born 1959), Estonian politician * Tarmo Teder (born 1958), Estonian writer and critic * Ivar Karl Ugi (1930–2005), German chemist *

Voldemar Väli Voldemar Väli (10 January 1903 – 13 April 1997) was an Estonian two-time Olympic medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling. Career Voldemar Väli was born in Kuressaare, on the island of Saaremaa. He began training in wrestling at age 17, and four ...

(1903–1997), Estonian wrestler *

Mihail Velsvebel Mihail Velsvebel (9 November 1926 – 21 November 2008) was an Estonian middle-distance runner. He competed in the men's 1500 metres at the 1952 Summer Olympics The 1952 Summer Olympics ( fi, Kesäolympialaiset 1952; sv, Olympiska som ...

(1926–2008), Estonian runner * Alexander Vostokov (1781–1864), Russian philologist *

Richard Otto Zöpffel Richard Otto Zöpffel (14 June 1843 – 7 January 1891) was a Baltic German church historian and theologian born in Arensburg, Governorate of Livonia, Russian Empire (today Kuressaare, Estonia). He studied theology at the University of Dorpat, and ...

(1843–1891), Baltic German theologian

Twin towns and sister cities

The former municipality of Kuressaare was twinned with: * Ekenäs,

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...

(since 21 November 1988) * Kuurne,

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

(since 9 August 1998) *

Mariehamn Mariehamn ( , ; fi, Maarianhamina ; la, Portus Mariae) is the capital city, capital of Åland, an autonomous territory under Finland, Finnish sovereignty. Mariehamn is the seat of the Government of Åland, Government and Parliament of Åland, ...

, Finland (since 24 October 1991) *

Rønne Rønne ( sv, Rönne) is the largest town on the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. It has a population of 13,807 (1 January 2022). It was a municipality in its own right from 1970 until 2002, when Bornholm was a county (Danish: ''Bornh ...

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...

(since 3 October 1991) * Skövde,

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

(since 23 June 1993) * Talsi,

Latvia Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republika, links=no, ltg, Latvejas Republika, links=no, liv, Leţmō Vabāmō, links=no), is a country in the Baltic region of ...

(since 27 May 1998) *

Turku Turku ( ; ; sv, Åbo, ) is a city and former capital on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River, in the region of Finland Proper (''Varsinais-Suomi'') and the former Turku and Pori Province (''Turun ja Porin lääni''; ...

, Finland (since 30 May 1996) * Vammala, Finland (since 30 June 1994)

Significant depictions in popular culture

* Arensburg (Kuressaare) is one of the starting towns of the State of the Teutonic Order in the turn-based strategy game Medieval II: Total War: Kingdoms.

References

Notes

Sources

*Е. М. Поспелов (Ye. M. Pospelov). "Имена городов: вчера и сегодня (1917–1992). Топонимический словарь." (''City Names: Yesterday and Today (1917–1992). Toponymic Dictionary.'') Москва, "Русские словари", 1993.

External links

* {{Authority control Saaremaa Cities and towns in Estonia Former municipalities of Estonia Populated coastal places in Estonia Populated places in Saare County Gulf of Riga Spa towns in Estonia Kreis Ösel Populated places established in the 1380s 1380s establishments in Europe Port cities and towns in Estonia