Muhu (also called Muhumaa in

Estonian Estonian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Estonia, a country in the Baltic region in northern Europe * Estonians, people from Estonia, or of Estonian descent * Estonian language * Estonian cuisine * Estonian culture See also

...

) is an island in the

West Estonian archipelago The West Estonian archipelago (, also Moonsund archipelago) is a group of Estonian islands located in the Baltic Sea around Väinameri. The total area is about . The archipelago is composed of the islands Saaremaa, Hiiumaa, Muhu, Vormsi and ab ...

of the

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...

. With an area of , it is the third largest island belonging to

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

, after

Saaremaa 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 Hi ...

and

Hiiumaa Hiiumaa ( , ) is the second largest island in Estonia and is part of the West Estonian archipelago, in the Baltic Sea. It has an area of 989 km2 and is 22 km from the Estonian mainland. Its largest town is Kärdla. It is located within ...

. Together with neighbouring smaller islands of

Kesselaid Kesselaid (also Kessulaid, or diminutively Kessu. ; ) is a Estonian islet located between the mainland and the island of Muhu in the Suur Strait (''Big Strait'') which connects the Väinameri strait and the Gulf of Riga. There is only one villa ...

Viirelaid Viirelaid, previously also known as Paternoster, is a small island of Estonia in the Baltic Sea. Viirelaid lies southeast of the island of Muhu. Together with Muhu and neighbouring small islands of Kesselaid, Võilaid and Suurlaid, it forms Muh ...

Võilaid Võilaid is a small, uninhabited Estonian island in the Baltic Sea. Its coordinates are . Võilaid lies southeast of the Estonian island of Muhu in the Gulf of Riga. The island is 2.5 km2 and uninhabited. In the spring and summer months, th ...

and

Suurlaid Suurlaid () is a small Estonian island in the Baltic Sea. Its coordinates are Suurlaid lies just off the southern coast of the Estonian island of Muhu. Together with Muhu and neighbouring islands Viirelaid, Võilaid, it forms Muhu Parish (Est ...

, it forms

Muhu Parish Muhu Parish () is a rural municipality of Estonia, in Saare County. It has a population of 1,876 (as of 1 January 2019) and an area of . Geography Muhu Parish is located on Muhu or Muhumaa and its neighbouring smaller islands of Kesselaid, V ...

(), the rural

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

within

Saare County Saare County ( or ''Saaremaa''; ; ; ; ) is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It consists of Saaremaa, the largest island of Estonia, and several smaller islands near it, most notably Muhu, Ruhnu, Abruka and Vilsandi. The county borders Lääne Count ...

. The municipality has a population of 1,968 (as of 2010) and covers an area of . The population density is .

History and geography

The German names for the island are Mohn and Moon. Moon is also the Swedish name for the island. The most important villages in Muhu are

Kuivastu Kuivastu is a village on the eastern coast of the Estonian island Muhu. (retrieved 28 July 2021) Kuivastu Harbour is the primary gateway to the biggest Estonian island Saaremaa (Muhu and Saaremaa are distinct islands but since 1896, they have b ...

, Liiva (where the school can be found) and

Koguva Koguva is a village on the Estonian Baltic Sea island of Muhu. (retrieved 28 July 2021) Administratively, it belongs to Muhu Parish, Saare County. Koguva is located on the western tip of the island, and the small islet of Kõinastu is located ju ...

. In

Pädaste Pädaste () is a village on the Estonian island Muhu. It is located on the southern coast of the island by the Gulf of Riga. Administratively, Pädaste belongs to Muhu Parish, Saare County. In 2000, the village had a population of 48. Pädaste i ...

, an internationally renowned luxury hotel and spa operates in the restored manor house. The island is divided from mainland Estonia by the Suur Strait (''Moonsund'') and from

by the Väike Strait. It is linked by ferry to

Virtsu Virtsu () is a small borough (') in Lääneranna Parish, Pärnu County, Estonia. It lies on the western coast of continental Estonia, and is a location of the main port for traffic to and from Saaremaa, the largest island of Estonia. The Virtsu ...

on the mainland, and to Saaremaa by a

causeway A causeway is a track, road or railway on the upper point of an embankment across "a low, or wet place, or piece of water". It can be constructed of earth, masonry, wood, or concrete. One of the earliest known wooden causeways is the Sweet T ...

, the

Väinatamm Väinatamm is the name of the largest causeway in Estonia on the Estonian national road 10. The causeway, opened in 1896, connects the island of Muhu, located between Saaremaa Saaremaa (; ) is the largest and most populous island in Estonia ...

. In winter an

ice road An ice road or ice bridge is a human-made structure that runs on a frozen water surface (a river, a lake or a sea water expanse).Masterson, D. and Løset, S., 2011, ISO 19906: Bearing capacity of ice and ice roads, Proceedings of the 21st Int ...

connects the island to the mainland. In January 1227, an army of the

Livonian Brothers of the Sword The Livonian Brothers of the Sword (; ) was a Catholic Church, Catholic Military order (monastic society), military order established in 1202 during the Livonian Crusade by Albert of Riga, Albert, the third bishop of Riga (or possibly by Theode ...

with Letts, Germans of Riga and native Livonians (20,000 men commanded by

William of Modena William of Modena ( – 31 March 1251), also known as ''William of Sabina'', ''Guglielmo de Chartreaux'', ''Guglielmo de Savoy'', ''Guillelmus'', was an Italian clergyman and papal diplomat.

) crossed on sea ice from the mainland and attacked the island of Saaremaa to reduce the last holdout of pagan Estonians. The Estonians surrendered on Muhu at a circular stronghold called Mona, the earthworks of which are still preserved near the causeway between the islands. This ended the

Estonian Crusade The Livonian crusade consists of the various military Christianisation campaigns in medieval Livonia – modern Latvia and Estonia – during the Papal-sanctioned Northern Crusades in the 12th–13th century. Overview Historical sources Th ...

. The

Battle of Karuse The Battle of Karuse or Battle on the Ice was fought on 16 February 1270 between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Livonian Order on the frozen Baltic Sea between the island of Muhu and the mainland. The Lithuanians achieved a decisive vict ...

or Battle on the Ice was fought on 16 February 1270 between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Livonian Order on the frozen Baltic Sea between Muhu and the mainland. The Lithuanians achieved a decisive victory. The battle, named after the village of Karuse, was the fifth-largest defeat of the Livonian or Teutonic Orders in the 13th century. The same waters saw the

Battle of Moon Sound The Battle of Moon Sound was a naval battle fought between the forces of the German Empire, and the then Russian Republic (and three British submarines) in the Baltic Sea during Operation Albion from 16 October 1917 until 3 November 1917 duri ...

in September–October 1917 between Russian and German naval forces. Muhu is the home of Estonia's first wine tourism farm – Luscher & Matiesen Muhu Winehouse.

Culture

Muhu is known for having the only traditional

windmill A windmill is a machine operated by the force of wind acting on vanes or sails to mill grain (gristmills), pump water, generate electricity, or drive other machinery. Windmills were used throughout the high medieval and early modern period ...

s in Estonia that are still operational. Muhu is also known for its traditional knitted stockings.

Gallery

File:NorthMuhuCoast.JPG, Northern coast of Muhu File:MuhuStronghold.JPG, Muhu Stronghold, site of the native Estonian surrender to crusaders in 1227 File:Muhu stronghold memorial stone2.JPG, Monument in the center of the Muhu Stronghold File:Üügu Cliff.jpg, Üügu cliffs File:Muhu Katariina kirik Liiva külas.JPG, Muhu St. Catherine's Church File:Pädaste mõisa peahoone.JPG, Pädaste Manor File:Muhumuseum.jpg, Tooma farm, part of Muhu museum and birthplace of writer

Juhan Smuul Juhan Smuul (18 February 1922 – 13 April 1971) was an Estonian writer. Until 1954 he used the given name Johannes Schmuul. Smuul was one of the most recognized writers in Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet Estonia and was a member of th ...

File:Rongkäik, Muhu Põhikool.IMG 5102.JPG, Students and teachers in traditional clothing march in a procession in Liiva File:In classroom of village school.JPG, Old village school File:Old village.JPG, In

Mõega Mõega is a village on the Estonian Baltic Sea island of Muhu. (retrieved 28 July 2021) It is located in the eastern part of the island by the main road in Muhu (segment of the Risti–Kuressaare road, nr 10, the "Saaremaa road"), just between ...

village File:Koguva sadam 2015.jpg, Koguva harbour File:Windmill in Koguva(Estonia).jpg, Windmill in

File:EE Muhu fl.png, Flag of Muhu Parish File:Muhu Valla vapp.svg, Coat of Arms of Muhu Parish

References

External links

*
Official websiteMuhu Tourism AssociationMuhu Island in Jetsetter Top10

Photos about Muhu.
{{Authority control Muhu Estonian islands in the Baltic Gulf of Riga