Sights in Haapsalu
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Bishop's Castle
Haapsalu's unpolished gem is the 13th-century Bishop's Castle. Today the fortress stands in partial but very picturesque ruins. A turreted tower, most of the outer wall and some of the moat remain. To learn about the castle's history and see some dramatically displayed cassocks and medieval weaponry, don't miss the museum and dome church. The church is actually a Roman-Gothic cathedral, with three inner domes - the largest such structure in the Baltics - and its acoustics are phenomenal.
The cathedral was not strictly Roman Catholic from the start, due to the lukewarm welcome Christianity received in these parts. It was assimilated into the Episcopal stronghold in the sec…
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Osmussaare
There's a harbour at Dirhami, a few kilometres north of Tuksi, where a knowledgeable captain can take you to Osmussaare, a small island 7.5km from the mainland that was once inhabited by Estonian Swedes. It's known to them as Odensholm, the legendary burial place of the Viking god Oden. The island's cemetery and chapel ruins are reminders of the Swedish presence prior to their forced exodus by the USSR. After they were driven out a Soviet army base was built here in the early 1940s.
The island is uninhabited, so if you plan to camp, bring food and water with you.
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Noarootsi Peninsula
The Noarootsi Peninsula is 2km across the bay from Haapsalu but about 35km by road. Estonian Swedes lived here for several centuries before their exodus in 1944. There's an old church from the Swedish era at Hosby, a fine manor park at Pürksi and views to Haapsalu from the old village of Österby. One daily bus goes between Haapsalu and Österby via Pürksi, taking 1¼ hours.
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Ants Laikmaa House Museum
About 10km east of Haapsalu, and 2km beyond Taebla, is Ants Laikmaa House Museum, in the eclectic house of inexhaustible artist Ants Laikmaa (1866-1942), who walked more than 2600km from Rīga to Düsseldorf in Germany (in six weeks apparently) to study art. His efforts extended to designing and building the house itself. Buses along the Tallinn-Haapsalu road will drop you at Taebla.
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St John's Church
The streets in the area around the castle are the hub of the historic centre - an idyllic setting for a stroll past old wooden houses along leafy streets. Between Kooli tänav and Jaani tänav, east off Lossi plats, is the 16th-century St John's Church.
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Bird-Watching Tower
Just north of St John's Church is a bird-watching tower you can climb and a small park overlooking the pint-sized Africa Beach (Aafrikarand), which earned its name from the statues of wild animals that used to grace the shoreline.
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Museum of the Estonian Swedes
The quaint Museum of the Estonian Swedes has relics, photos, old fishing nets and a marvellous tapestry tracing the history of Swedes in Estonia from the 1200s to their flight back to Sweden on the Triina in 1944.
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Lääne Regional Museum
The somewhat dry Lääne Regional Museum offers a glimpse of the region's history. It's set in an 18th-century building that was once the town hall.
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Railway Museum
The boxcar-sized Railway Museum on the station's west side records the golden years of train travel. You're free to check out the old locomotives nearby.
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Evald Okas Museum
The Evald Okas Museum features the colourful works of one of Haapsalu's oldest and best-known local artists; temporary exhibitions are on the 1st floor.
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