Haapsalu () is a seaside

resort town A resort town, resort city or resort destination is an urban area where tourism or vacationing is the primary component of the local culture and economy. A typical resort town has one or more actual resorts in the surrounding area. Sometimes ...

located on the west coast of

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 ...

. It is the administrative centre of

Lääne County Lääne County ( or ''Läänemaa'', literally "Western land"; ; ) is one of the 15 counties of Estonia. It is located in western Estonia and borders the Baltic Sea to the north, Harju County to the north-east, Rapla County to the east, Pärnu Cou ...

, and on 1 January 2020 it had a population of 9,375.

History

The name ''Haapsalu'' derives from the Estonian words ''haab'' 'aspen' and ''salu'' in the archaic sense '(forested) island' (now 'grove'). Until the first half of the 20th century, in Swedish and German the town was called ''Hapsal''. Haapsalu and the surrounding area was the center for the Estonian Swedes from the 13th century until the evacuation of almost all ethnic Swedes from Estonia prior to the Soviet invasion of Estonia during World War II in 1944. The first written record of Haapsalu dates back to 1279, when the town was chartered and became the capital of the Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek, which it remained for the following three centuries. Buildings from those early days remain today, including an episcopal

castle A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...

, which has the largest single-

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

church in Estonia.

Neighborhoods of Haapsalu

There are six neighborhoods of Haapsalu: *Holmi *Kesklinn *Männiku *Paralepa *Randsalu *Vanalinn.

Healing by sea mud

The sea mud in Haapsalu is claimed to have a curative effect. A military doctor, Carl Abraham Hunnius, founded the first mud cure resort in 1825. News of the "curative mud" spread quickly amongst the wealthy customers in then capital city

Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...

, and elsewhere in the former Russian Empire. The mud spas were frequented by the Russian imperial Romanov family. For almost 200 years, Haapsalu has been a popular summer destination where people from all around the world come for medical treatment. At present, there are three "mud cure" establishments in Haapsalu.

Other attractions

The Land of Ilon Wikland ('' Wiklandia''), a recreation centre for children, is set to open in a few years within the town. Wikland, a famous book illustrator, has had a strong bond with Haapsalu since her childhood. The August Blues Festival is held every year in August in Haapsalu. Since 2005, the town hosts Haapsalu Horror and Fantasy Film Festival, an annual

film festival A film festival is an organized, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theater, cinemas or screening venues, usually annually and in a single city or region. Some film festivals show films outdoors or online. Films may be of recent ...

dedicated to genre films. In 2017, the pastors of Haapsalu made an open statement calling to end the city's financing of the festival, claiming the horror and violence depicted in the screened films were not fit to represent the resort town image. The same year the festival was held to a record-breaking attendance.

Demographics

In popular culture

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer during the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally. Tchaikovsky wrote some of the most popula ...

in 1867 wrote a suite of three pieces for

piano A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...

during his stay in Haapsalu, titled Souvenir de Hapsal. In the 19th century, the town became famous for its " Haapsalu shawls", a delicate craft made by local women. Haapsalu has sometimes been called the " Venice of the Baltics" — an apparent exaggeration used mostly to promote the resort town to foreign tourists. Haapsalu is site of a fencing school founded by Estonian fencer

Endel Nelis Endel Nelis (28 September 1925 Karuse Parish, Lääne County – 12 April 1993 Haapsalu) was an Estonian fencer and fencing coach. In 1950 he graduated from Tartu State University in physical education. From 1950 to 1966 he was a member of Estonia ...

, used as the setting of the Finnish-Estonian film ''

The Fencer ''The Fencer'' (, is a 2015 biographical drama film about the life of Endel Nelis, an accomplished Estonian fencer and coach. It was directed by Klaus Härö and written by Anna Heinämaa. Filming began in Estonia in late February 2014. Th ...

''.

Gallery

File:Haapsalu linnuse varemed1.jpg, Haapsalu castle File:Central square of Haapsalu.jpg, Central square Haapsalu.JPG, Town centre Haapsalu kuursaal 2012-2.jpg, Haapsalu ''kuursaal'' (resort hall) File:Paadid Haapsalu Tagalahel.jpg, Bay of Haapsalu Tagalaht Haapsalu raudteejaam 2010.jpg, Former

train station A train station, railroad station, or railway station is a railway facility where trains stop to load or unload passengers, freight, or both. It generally consists of at least one platform, one track, and a station building providing suc ...

, notable for the length of its platform canopy. Haapsalu raekoda 2012.jpg, Town Hall Haapsalu raudteejaama ooteplatvorm.jpg, Train station Haapsalu Maarja õigeusu kirik.jpg, Orthodox Church of St. Mary Magdalene Haapsalu rannapromenaad.jpg, A pavilion by the seaside promenade File:Haapsalu promenaad.jpg, View from the promenade File:Haapsalu Jaani kirik.jpg, Jaani Lutheran church

References

External links

Haapsalu pictures and article
{{Authority control Cities and towns in Estonia Populated coastal places in Estonia Spa towns in Estonia Populated places established in the 13th century 1279 establishments in Europe 13th-century establishments in Estonia Kreis Wiek Port cities and towns in Estonia