Suur Munamägi
| Suur Munamägi | ||
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 The Suur Munamägi, to the left of the transmitter you can see the lookout point at the summit |
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| height | 318 m | |
| location | Estonia | |
| Mountains | Haanja ridge | |
| Coordinates | 57 ° 42 '51 " N , 27 ° 3' 36" E | |
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| particularities | highest point in Estonia and the Baltic States | |
The Suur Munamägi ( Great Egg Mountain ) in the Haanja ridge is at 318 m above sea level the highest point in Estonia and also in the Baltic region . The mountain is located in the Võrumaa region not far from the village of Haanja in southeast Estonia, near the borders with Latvia and Russia . The landscape in the area of the summit is gently undulating, dense coniferous forests interrupted by meadows ( grassland management ). The ridge consists of crystalline rock. Because no water seeps into this rock, there are many small ponds and lakes in the immediate vicinity of the summit.
A first observation tower at the summit was built by Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve as early as 1816 as a triangulation point for the triangulation of Livonia . In 1939 a mountain hut with a newly built 26 meter high observation tower was built on the summit . The observation tower was renovated in 1969, an additional floor was added (the current height of the observation platform above ground is 29 m) and equipped with a lift, which had not been in operation since the collapse of the Soviet Union until 2005 and was dismantled. During this time the stairs had to be used. Since 2005, the ascent has been possible again using a newly installed lift. In the tower there is an exhibition about the nature of the Võrumaa region. The summit itself can easily be reached on foot; a hiking trail leads from a parking lot (marked Suur Munamägi) to the summit. The car park can also be reached by bus from Võru . The walking time from there to the lookout point at the summit is around 20 minutes.
