252:
357:
420:
432:
64:
444:
456:
468:
894:
51:
985:
71:
371:
in style and characterised by a simplicity of form. The central, so-called convent building, is a square building around a central courtyard. The so-called defence tower, in the northern corner, reaches 37 metres (121 ft). A defence gallery with battlements running along the top of the building
408:
that are still largely intact. When the
Russian garrison left the fortress in 1711 following the Great Northern War, they deliberately blew up much of the fortifications and the castle, but later restored some of it. In 1861, conversion of the bastions into a park began under the supervision of
391:
At the end of the 14th and beginning of the 15th century, a wall, 625 metres (2,051 ft) long, was built around the castle. Due to improvements made in firearms, additional defensive elements were added between the 16th and 17th centuries.
779:
695:
328:
232:, 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
251:
1026:
1036:
882:
388:, the dormitory, the chapel and the bishop's living quarters. In the latter, eleven baroque carved epitaphs of noblemen from Saaremaa are displayed.
376:
and gate defences are also reconstructions. Inside, the castle is divided into a cellar which was used for storage and equipped with a sophisticated
1031:
356:
94:
645:
577:
543:
753:
264:
63:
860:
419:
224:
began its construction for the bishops of Ă–sel-Wieck. Some sources claim that the first castle was built of wood. As the inhabitants of
672:
516:
706:
875:
662:
298:, the Russian garrison at Kuressaare withdrew. The fact that Kuressaare castle was not employed by the armies who fought in the
282:
As the frontiers of the
Russian Empire gradually pushed further west, Kuressaare lost its strategic value. Especially after the
324:
615:
157:
431:
263:
seized control over
Saaremaa and Kuressaare castle. During this time, the fortifications were modernised. Following the
271:, Saaremaa passed into Swedish hands. The Swedes continued the modernisation of the fortress until 1706. Following the
1041:
1016:
868:
443:
311:
306:
997:
898:
455:
287:
233:
467:
302:
is also indicative of its lost strategic importance. In the 19th century, the castle was used as a poorhouse.
731:
1021:
949:
368:
291:
244:) and remained one of the most important castles of the Bishopric until its dissolution during the
969:
484:
380:
heating system, and the main floor, which housed the most important rooms of the castle. Here, a
335:
272:
757:
668:
641:
573:
539:
533:
512:
364:
Kuressaare castle is considered one of the best preserved medieval fortifications in
Estonia.
189:
169:
567:
909:
229:
974:
959:
929:
919:
317:
237:
177:
944:
964:
924:
833:
818:
Tvauri, Andres (Autumn 2009). "Late medieval hypocausts with heat storage in
Estonia".
393:
290:, military focus shifted away from Estonia. In 1836, following the construction of the
276:
268:
260:
221:
1010:
954:
939:
384:
surrounds the courtyard and connects all the main rooms. Notable among these are the
220:
The earliest written record mentioning
Kuressaare castle is from the 1380s, when the
914:
705:. Saarte Hääl Newspaper (“Voice of the Islands”). 13 September 1988. Archived from
245:
794:
984:
299:
283:
50:
340:
373:
201:
37:
109:
96:
385:
377:
381:
295:
225:
205:
893:
405:
401:
209:
41:
822:. Institute of History and Archaeology of the University of Tartu: 52.
334:
It underwent a second restoration in 1968, this time led by architect
397:
197:
850:
610:
608:
606:
604:
602:
600:
598:
596:
355:
250:
410:
864:
327:, who executed 90 civilians on the castle yard. The subsequent
855:
856:
The
Association of Castles and Museums around the Baltic Sea
569:
DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania
502:
500:
275:, Saaremaa and Kuressaare castle became a part of the
640:(6 ed.). Bradt Travel Guides Ltd. p. 254.
153:
138:
133:
125:
88:
21:
305:In 1904–12 the castle was restored by architects
323:In 1941, the castle was used as a stronghold by
269:1643-1645 war between Sweden and Denmark-Norway
255:Plan of Kuressaare castle and ramparts in 1710.
876:
796:Archaeological research in Estonia, 1865-2005
664:Lonely Planet Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania
348:Today the castle houses the Saaremaa Museum.
8:
661:Dragicevich, Peter; Ragozin, Leonid (2016).
538:. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 207.
331:saw over 300 killed on the castle grounds.
883:
869:
861:
566:Jarvis, Howard; Ochser, Tim (2 May 2011).
18:
70:
535:Culture And Customs of the Baltic States
496:
415:
696:"1941 EXECUTIONS IN KURESSAARE CASTLE"
511:. Kunst Publishers. pp. 176–178.
799:. Tartu University Press. p. 185
7:
1027:Buildings and structures in Saaremaa
616:"History of the castle and fortress"
230:foreign efforts to Christianise them
1037:Tourist attractions in Saare County
734:. The Baltic Initiative And Network
793:Lang, V.; Laneman, Margot (2006).
756:. Spotting History. Archived from
572:. Dorling Kindersley. p. 32.
14:
158:Bishop of Ösel–Wiek (Saare-Lääne)
983:
892:
667:. Lonely Planet Global Limited.
466:
454:
442:
430:
418:
69:
62:
49:
372:was restored in the 1980s. The
1032:Gothic architecture in Estonia
307:Karl Rudolf Hermann Seuberlich
1:
820:Baltic Journal of Art History
780:"Kuressaare Episcopal Castle"
732:"Saaremaa Museum, Kuressaare"
329:Nazi invasion and occupation
228:put up stiff resistance to
186:Kuressaare Episcopal Castle
1058:
992:
981:
905:
509:Estonia. Cultural Tourism
288:Third Partition of Poland
194:Kuressaare piiskopilinnus
57:
48:
35:
26:
834:"Kuressaare Castle Park"
532:O'Connor, Kevin (2006).
413:architect H. Göggingen.
146:1380s (possibly earlier)
142:1380s (possibly earlier)
325:occupying Soviet forces
507:Viirand, Tiiu (2004).
361:
256:
241:
193:
181:
173:
636:Taylor, Neil (2010).
360:The northern bastion.
359:
292:fortress of Bomarsund
254:
234:bishop of Saare-Lääne
425:Bridge to the castle
400:-type fortress with
754:"Kuressaare Castle"
367:The castle is late
106: /
1042:Museums in Estonia
1017:Castles in Estonia
998:Castles in Estonia
970:Vastseliina Castle
899:Castles in Estonia
703:Singing Revolution
485:History of Estonia
362:
273:Great Northern War
267:, which ended the
265:Peace of Brömsebro
257:
110:58.25°N 22.48333°E
1004:
1003:
935:Kuressaare Castle
712:on 29 August 2020
647:978-1-84162-320-7
579:978-1-4053-6063-0
545:978-0-313-33125-1
182:Schloss Arensburg
174:Kuressaare linnus
166:Kuressaare Castle
163:
162:
77:Kuressaare Castle
29:Kuressaare linnus
22:Kuressaare Castle
16:Castle in Estonia
1049:
987:
950:Põltsamaa Castle
910:Alatskivi Castle
897:
896:
885:
878:
871:
862:
838:
837:
830:
824:
823:
815:
809:
808:
806:
804:
790:
784:
783:
782:. Lonely Planet.
776:
770:
769:
767:
765:
750:
744:
743:
741:
739:
728:
722:
721:
719:
717:
711:
700:
692:
686:
685:
683:
681:
658:
652:
651:
633:
627:
626:
624:
622:
612:
591:
590:
588:
586:
563:
557:
556:
554:
552:
529:
523:
522:
504:
470:
458:
446:
434:
422:
344:
315:
149:
147:
121:
120:
118:
117:
116:
111:
107:
104:
103:
102:
99:
73:
72:
66:
53:
44:
19:
1057:
1056:
1052:
1051:
1050:
1048:
1047:
1046:
1007:
1006:
1005:
1000:
988:
979:
975:Viljandi Castle
960:Tarvastu Castle
930:Koluvere Castle
920:Haapsalu Castle
901:
891:
889:
851:Saaremaa Museum
847:
842:
841:
832:
831:
827:
817:
816:
812:
802:
800:
792:
791:
787:
778:
777:
773:
763:
761:
760:on 10 June 2016
752:
751:
747:
737:
735:
730:
729:
725:
715:
713:
709:
698:
694:
693:
689:
679:
677:
675:
660:
659:
655:
648:
635:
634:
630:
620:
618:
614:
613:
594:
584:
582:
580:
565:
564:
560:
550:
548:
546:
531:
530:
526:
519:
506:
505:
498:
493:
481:
474:
471:
462:
459:
450:
447:
438:
435:
426:
423:
354:
338:
318:Wilhelm Neumann
309:
218:
206:Saaremaa island
145:
143:
115:58.25; 22.48333
114:
112:
108:
105:
100:
97:
95:
93:
92:
84:
83:
82:
81:
80:
79:
78:
74:
36:
31:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1055:
1053:
1045:
1044:
1039:
1034:
1029:
1024:
1019:
1009:
1008:
1002:
1001:
993:
990:
989:
982:
980:
978:
977:
972:
967:
965:Toompea Castle
962:
957:
952:
947:
942:
937:
932:
927:
925:Hermann Castle
922:
917:
912:
906:
903:
902:
890:
888:
887:
880:
873:
865:
859:
858:
853:
846:
845:External links
843:
840:
839:
825:
810:
785:
771:
745:
723:
687:
673:
653:
646:
628:
592:
578:
558:
544:
524:
517:
495:
494:
492:
489:
488:
487:
480:
477:
476:
475:
472:
465:
463:
460:
453:
451:
448:
441:
439:
436:
429:
427:
424:
417:
394:Erik Dahlbergh
353:
350:
277:Russian Empire
261:Denmark-Norway
222:Teutonic Order
217:
214:
161:
160:
155:
151:
150:
140:
136:
135:
131:
130:
127:
123:
122:
90:
86:
85:
76:
75:
68:
67:
61:
60:
59:
58:
55:
54:
46:
45:
33:
32:
27:
24:
23:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1054:
1043:
1040:
1038:
1035:
1033:
1030:
1028:
1025:
1023:
1020:
1018:
1015:
1014:
1012:
999:
996:
991:
986:
976:
973:
971:
968:
966:
963:
961:
958:
956:
955:Purtse Castle
953:
951:
948:
946:
943:
941:
940:Laiuse Castle
938:
936:
933:
931:
928:
926:
923:
921:
918:
916:
913:
911:
908:
907:
904:
900:
895:
886:
881:
879:
874:
872:
867:
866:
863:
857:
854:
852:
849:
848:
844:
835:
829:
826:
821:
814:
811:
798:
797:
789:
786:
781:
775:
772:
759:
755:
749:
746:
733:
727:
724:
708:
704:
697:
691:
688:
676:
674:9781760341442
670:
666:
665:
657:
654:
649:
643:
639:
632:
629:
617:
611:
609:
607:
605:
603:
601:
599:
597:
593:
581:
575:
571:
570:
562:
559:
547:
541:
537:
536:
528:
525:
520:
518:9949-407-18-4
514:
510:
503:
501:
497:
490:
486:
483:
482:
478:
469:
464:
457:
452:
445:
440:
433:
428:
421:
416:
414:
412:
407:
403:
399:
396:designed the
395:
389:
387:
383:
379:
375:
370:
365:
358:
351:
349:
346:
342:
337:
332:
330:
326:
321:
319:
313:
308:
303:
301:
297:
293:
289:
285:
280:
278:
274:
270:
266:
262:
253:
249:
247:
243:
239:
235:
231:
227:
223:
215:
213:
211:
208:, in western
207:
203:
199:
195:
191:
187:
183:
179:
175:
171:
167:
159:
156:
154:Built by
152:
141:
137:
132:
128:
124:
119:
91:
87:
65:
56:
52:
47:
43:
39:
34:
30:
25:
20:
994:
945:Pärnu Castle
934:
915:Glehn Castle
828:
819:
813:
801:. Retrieved
795:
788:
774:
762:. Retrieved
758:the original
748:
736:. Retrieved
726:
714:. Retrieved
707:the original
702:
690:
678:. Retrieved
663:
656:
637:
631:
619:. Retrieved
583:. Retrieved
568:
561:
549:. Retrieved
534:
527:
508:
390:
366:
363:
352:Architecture
347:
333:
322:
304:
281:
258:
246:Livonian War
219:
185:
165:
164:
134:Site history
28:
621:26 December
449:Inner court
339: [
336:Kalvi Aluve
310: [
300:Crimean War
284:Finnish War
113: /
89:Coordinates
1022:Kuressaare
1011:Categories
491:References
461:Watchtower
374:portcullis
202:Kuressaare
101:22°29′00″E
98:58°15′00″N
38:Kuressaare
995:Also See:
437:Main gate
386:refectory
378:hypocaust
259:In 1559,
242:Ă–sel-Wiek
479:See also
473:Overview
406:ravelins
402:bastions
382:cloister
286:and the
226:Saaremaa
196:), is a
190:Estonian
184:), also
170:Estonian
764:26 June
738:26 June
716:26 June
680:26 June
638:Estonia
216:History
210:Estonia
144: (
42:Estonia
803:4 June
671:
644:
585:4 June
576:
551:4 June
542:
515:
398:Vauban
369:Gothic
238:German
198:castle
178:German
129:Castle
710:(PDF)
699:(PDF)
343:]
314:]
296:Ă…land
139:Built
805:2012
766:2020
740:2020
718:2020
682:2020
669:ISBN
642:ISBN
623:2012
587:2012
574:ISBN
553:2012
540:ISBN
513:ISBN
411:Riga
404:and
316:and
126:Type
294:on
204:on
200:in
1013::
701:.
595:^
499:^
345:.
341:et
320:.
312:et
279:.
248:.
240::
212:.
192::
180::
176:;
172::
40:,
884:e
877:t
870:v
836:.
807:.
768:.
742:.
720:.
684:.
650:.
625:.
589:.
555:.
521:.
236:(
188:(
168:(
148:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
