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Å’sel
Saaremaa (; ) is the largest and most populous island in Estonia. Measuring , its population is 31,435 (as of January 2020). The main island of the West Estonian archipelago (Moonsund archipelago), it is located in the Baltic Sea, south of Hiiumaa island and northwest of the Gulf of Riga. The administrative centre of the island, and of the Saare ''Saare County, maakond'' (county), is the town of Kuressaare. From the 13th century until the first half of the 20th century, the island of Saaremaa was known in most of the world by variants of its other historical name Ösel. Etymology Saaremaa was called ''Eysýsla'' in the Icelandic sagas and other early medieval Scandinavian sources (Old Norse: , meaning "the island district"), and named in contrast with ''Aðalsýsla'' ("the great district") or the Estonian mainland. The island is called in modern Estonian language, Estonian and in Finnish language, Finnish — literally "land of the isle" or "land of the island",Toomse, Liin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kuressaare Castle
Kuressaare Castle (; ), also Kuressaare Episcopal Castle (), is a castle in Kuressaare on Saaremaa, Saaremaa island, in western Estonia. History The earliest written record mentioning Kuressaare castle is from the 1380s, when the Teutonic Order began its construction for the bishops of Ösel-Wieck. Some sources claim that the first castle was built of wood. As the inhabitants of Saaremaa put up stiff resistance to Livonian Crusade, foreign efforts to Christianise them, the castle was undoubtedly built as part of a wider effort by the crusaders to gain control over the island. From the outset, it was a stronghold belonging to the Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek, bishop of Saare-Lääne () and remained one of the most important castles of the Bishopric until its dissolution during the Livonian War. In 1559, Danish Estonia, Denmark-Norway seized control over Saaremaa and Kuressaare castle. During this time, the fortifications were modernised. Following the Second Treaty of Brömsebro (1645) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
