Keila
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Keila (german: Kegel) is a town and an urban municipality in
Harju County Harju County ( et, Harju maakond or ''Harjumaa''), is one of the fifteen counties of Estonia. It is situated in Northern Estonia, on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, and borders Lääne-Viru County to the east, Järva County to the sou ...
in north-western
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 ...
, 25 km southwest of
Tallinn Tallinn () is the most populous and capital city of Estonia. Situated on a bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, Tallinn has a population of 437,811 (as of 2022) and administratively lies in the Harju ' ...
. Keila is also the location of administrative buildings of the surrounding
Keila Parish Keila Parish ( et, Keila vald) was a rural municipality in north-western Estonia. It was a part of Harju County. The municipality had a population of 3,995 (as of 1 January 2004) and covered an area of 178.97 km2. The population density was ...
, a rural municipality separate from the town itself.


History

The oldest traces of human settlement in Keila trace back 2000 to 3000 years BC. Around 1000 years ago the village of Keila was established along the Keila river. In 1219 the Danish conquered Northern-Estonia and chose Keila as the site on which the Vomentakæ
parochial Parochial is an adjective which may refer to: * Parishes, in religion ** Parish churches, also called parochial churches * Parochial schools, primary or secondary schools affiliated to a religious organisation * Parochialism Parochialism is the ...
Revala county church was to be built. The first church was a small wooden structure dedicated primarily to St. Michael which was replaced with a stone church at the end of the 13th century. Subsequently, the first written mention of Keila (''Keikŋl'') comes from Danish evaluation book writings in 1241. Official Keila website (Estonian)
/ref> In the 15th-16th century, a settlement comprising some tens of buildings and a hundred people formed around the church. At the same time the
Livonian Order The Livonian Order was an autonomous branch of the Teutonic Order, formed in 1237. From 1435 to 1561 it was a member of the Livonian Confederation. History The order was formed from the remnants of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword after the ...
built a small fort south-east of the church on ''jõesaare'' (Known today as ''Jõepark''). Ruins of the fort were first excavated in 1976 with continued finds up to 2007. During the
Livonian War The Livonian War (1558–1583) was the Russian invasion of Old Livonia, and the prolonged series of military conflicts that followed, in which Tsar Ivan the Terrible of Russia (Muscovy) unsuccessfully fought for control of the region (pre ...
of 1558-1583 the settlement, including the church (Later restored in 1596), was destroyed. Further hampered by the plague and starvation in 1601-1602 the population decline reduced the community to a small church village. This was to be the case for three centuries. An upturn began in the second half of the 20th century. One of the first notable cultural events was the erection of a statue of
Martin Luther Martin Luther (; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, and professor, and Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. He is the seminal figure of the Reformation, Protestant Refo ...
in 1862 near the ''kirikumõis'' (Church manor). However the statue was completely destroyed in 1949. In 1885 the first song festival was held in Keila. The festival was composed of 19 choirs and supervised by Konstantin Türnpu from Klooga. In 1867 the first school was opened in '' Väljaotsa'' farm celebrating the start of education in Keila. The development of Keila took a turn with the establishment of the
Tallinn Tallinn () is the most populous and capital city of Estonia. Situated on a bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, Tallinn has a population of 437,811 (as of 2022) and administratively lies in the Harju ' ...
-
Paldiski Paldiski is a town and Baltic Sea port situated on the Pakri Peninsula of northwestern Estonia. Since 2017, it's the administrative centre of Lääne-Harju Parish of Harju County. Previously a village of Estonia-Swedes known by the historical ...
railway in 1870. Keila officially became a town on 1 May 1938. After the railway to Keila was built, the place became known — as a
pun A pun, also known as paronomasia, is a form of word play that exploits multiple meanings of a term, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use of homophoni ...
— as ''Kegelbahn''. Keila has a station on the Elron rail line.


Military base

During Soviet times a military base, known as the "''Tankipolk''", was built on the outskirts of the town for the housing of soldiers and tanks. The base was demolished a few years after the Soviet army left the country. Years later a residential district was built on the site of the base. The woodland areas around it have also been cleaned up and turned into paved, and partially lit, paths. During winter the area acts as a skiing track with many hills and paths. The paths range from in length. The largest of the hills is known as "''Tankimägi''" or "''Tank Hill''". no more than a few building foundations remain of the base.


Nature

The city is situated largely on a big hill known as Keila hill and on the valley of Keila River. On the westernmost side of Keila there is
Niitvälja Bog Niitvälja is a village in Lääne-Harju Parish, Harju County in northern Estonia. (retrieved 27 July 2021) Baltics first 18-hole golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on ...
. 454 million year old
limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
, that can be seen
outcrop An outcrop or rocky outcrop is a visible exposure of bedrock or ancient superficial deposits on the surface of the Earth. Features Outcrops do not cover the majority of the Earth's land surface because in most places the bedrock or superficial ...
ping in the city, is known as Keila
stage Stage or stages may refer to: Acting * Stage (theatre), a space for the performance of theatrical productions * Theatre, a branch of the performing arts, often referred to as "the stage" * ''The Stage'', a weekly British theatre newspaper * Sta ...
. This name was given by Carl Friedrich Schmidt to distinguish layer of limestone, that is located between Jõhvi and Vasalemma stage.


Education

There are several schools in Keila.
Keila High School Keila Joint High School Keila Music School
and 3 kindergartens.


Population

According to the 2011 Census, the population was 10,014. Official Keila website (Estonian)
/ref> According to the 2009 Census, the population was 9,873. According to the 2000 Census, the population was 9,388. 82.8% were
Estonians Estonians or Estonian people ( et, eestlased) are a Finnic ethnic group native to Estonia who speak the Estonian language. The Estonian language is spoken as the first language by the vast majority of Estonians; it is closely related to other ...
, 12.1%
Russians , native_name_lang = ru , image = , caption = , population = , popplace = 118 million Russians in the Russian Federation (2002 ''Winkler Prins'' estimate) , region1 = , pop1 ...
, 1.8%
Ukrainians Ukrainians ( uk, Українці, Ukraintsi, ) are an East Slavs, East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine. They are the seventh-largest nation in Europe. The native language of the Ukrainians is Ukrainian language, Ukrainian. The majority ...
, 0.9%
Finns Finns or Finnish people ( fi, suomalaiset, ) are a Baltic Finnic ethnic group native to Finland. Finns are traditionally divided into smaller regional groups that span several countries adjacent to Finland, both those who are native to these ...
, 0.7%
Belarusians , native_name_lang = be , pop = 9.5–10 million , image = , caption = , popplace = 7.99 million , region1 = , pop1 = 600,000–768,000 , region2 = , pop2 ...
, 0.2%
Lithuanians Lithuanians ( lt, lietuviai) are a Baltic ethnic group. They are native to Lithuania, where they number around 2,378,118 people. Another million or two make up the Lithuanian diaspora, largely found in countries such as the United States, Uni ...
, 0.1%
Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, who share a common history, culture, the Polish language and are identified with the country of Poland in Ce ...
, 0.1%
Tatars The Tatars ()Tatar
in the Collins English Dictionary
is an umbrella term for different
, 0.1%
Germans , native_name_lang = de , region1 = , pop1 = 72,650,269 , region2 = , pop2 = 534,000 , region3 = , pop3 = 157,000 3,322,405 , region4 = , pop4 = ...
and 0.1%
Latvians Latvians ( lv, latvieši) are a Baltic ethnic group and nation native to Latvia and the immediate geographical region, the Baltics. They are occasionally also referred to as Letts, especially in older bibliography. Latvians share a common Latvi ...
. According to the 2011,July,1st Census, the population was 10030.


Religion


International relations


Twin towns — sister cities

Keila is twinned with: *
Chiatura Chiatura () is a city in the Imereti region of Western Georgia. In 1989, it had a population of about 30,000. The city is known for its system of cable cars connecting the city's center to the mining settlements on the surrounding hills. The city ...
,
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...
*
Nacka Nacka () is the municipal seat of Nacka Municipality and part of Stockholm urban area in Sweden. The municipality's name harks back to a 16th-century industrial operation established by the Crown at Nacka farmstead where conditions for water mil ...
,
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 ...
*
Huittinen Huittinen ( sv, Vittis) is a town and municipality in Finland. It is located in the Satakunta region, southeast of Pori and southwest of Tampere. The town has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population d ...
,
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 ...
*
Kerava Kerava (; sv, Kervo) is a town and municipality within the Uusimaa region of Finland. The municipalities of Vantaa, Sipoo and Tuusula are adjacent to Kerava, which is part of the Helsinki metropolitan area. The town has a population of () an ...
,
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 ...
*
Barsbüttel is a municipality in the district of Stormarn, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated east of Hamburg on the border of the district of Jenfeld. Since 1973 the township has consisted of four districts: Barsbüttel (main village), Willing ...
,
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
*
Sigulda Sigulda (; german: Segewold, pl, Zygwold, russian: Сигулда) is a town in the Vidzeme region of Latvia, from the capital city Riga. Overview Sigulda is on a picturesque stretch of the primeval Gauja river valley. Because of the reddish De ...
,
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 ...
*
Birštonas Birštonas () is a balneological resort and a spa town in Lithuania situated south of Kaunas on the right bank of the Nemunas River. Birštonas received its city rights 1529, and was appointed a city in 1966. The city is the administrative c ...
,
Lithuania Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...


Notable residents

*
Jekaterina Golovatenko Jekaterina Golovatenko (born 15 October 1979 in Keila) is an 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, ...
(born 1979), figure skater * Ülo Jõgi (1921–2007), war historian and national activist *
Astrid Lepa Astrid Lepa (7 April 1924 – 30 November 2015) was an Estonian stage, television, voice, and film actress, screenwriter, and television director whose career began in the 1940s and ended shortly before her death, spanning over sixty years. Earl ...
(1924–2015), actress and director *
Pearu Paulus Pearu Paulus (, born 3 November 1967) is an Estonian singer. He has participated in competition " Kaks takti ette". In 1994 he participated in Eurolaul (with Hedvig Hanson); although their song "Kallim kullast" didn't win the competition, the s ...
(born 1967), singer and composer *
Ago Silde Ago Silde (born 25 November 1963, in Keila) is an Estonian politician, having served as Governor of Ida-Viru County, from 2004 to 2007. Biography Silde graduated from the Kehtna Vocational Training School with honors in 1983 and continued his stud ...
(born 1963), politician *
Siiri Sisask Siiri Sisask (born 21 September 1968) is an Estonian singer, stage and film actress, and politician. Sisask was born in Rapla. Her older brother was composer Urmas Sisask. She was a member of X Riigikogu, representing the Res Publica Party. She ...
(born 1968), singer and politician *
Kärt Tomingas Kärt Tomingas (born 5 April 1967) is an Estonian stage, television, voice and film actress, singer, lecturer and acting and theatre pedagogue. Tomingas' career began in the 1980s as a folk-pop, rock and jazz singer and soon after began a career ...
(born 1967), singer and actress * Nublu (unknown), rapper *
Peeter Volkonski Prince Peeter Volkonski (born 12 September 1954 in Tallinn) is an Estonian rock-musician, composer, actor, and theatre director. Biography He became famous with the punk band Propeller, founded in 1978. In 2015 Volkonski was Free Party's ca ...
(born 1954), actor, rock-musician and composer * Oleksandr Yakymenko (born 1964), politician, former head of the
Security Service of Ukraine The Security Service of Ukraine ( uk, Служба безпеки України, translit=Sluzhba bezpeky Ukrainy}) or SBU ( uk, СБУ, link=no) is the law enforcement authority and main intelligence and security agency of the Ukrainian ...


See also

*
Keila JK Keila JK is a football club based in Keila, Estonia. Founded in 1995, it currently plays in II Liiga. Players First-team squad : ''As of 13 March 2018. Statistics League and Cup References External links * Team i ...


References


External links

*
Harjumaa Museum
{{Authority control Populated places in Harju County Cities and towns in Estonia Municipalities of Estonia Kreis Harrien