Virtsu
Coordinates: 58 ° 34 ' N , 23 ° 31' E
Virtsu (German Werder ) is a village ( alevik ) in the Estonian rural community Lääneranna in Pärnu district (until 2017: rural community Hanila in Lääne district ).
Population and location
Virtsu has 608 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2013). It is 138 km from the Estonian capital Tallinn .
The place is located on the peninsula of the same name, seven square kilometers ( Virtsu poolsaar ) on the Baltic Sea . It is best known for its ferry port on the island of Muhu .
Virtsu was an island until the beginning of the 19th century, which was only connected to the mainland through the uplift of the land.
The village emerged at the end of the 19th century around the important port. From the port of Virtsu there is the only regular ferry connection from the mainland over the Suur väin ("Great Sound") to Kuivastu on the island of Muhu ; Muhu is connected to the largest Estonian island Saaremaa by a dam . The ferry route from Virtsu to Kuivastu is 6.5 kilometers. Six quays for ferries and cargo ships are available in the port of Virtsu .
Virtsu maintains a primary school and a library. There is also a pharmacy, a post office and a meteorological station. Since 1996 a "Hobby Museum" ( Virtsu Harrastusmuuseum ) with changing exhibitions has been established in the place. There is an exhibition of old vehicles on the Kirsi talu farm .
lighthouse
In 1866 a lighthouse was first built in Virtsu. The 28.5 m high structure was ordered in France. There was a sea rescue station next to it.
The lighthouse in Virtsu was destroyed in both World War I (1917) and World War II (1944). Today in Virtsu there is an 18 m high lighthouse construction made of concrete from 1951.
economy
From 1931 to 1968 a narrow-gauge railway ran from Rapla to Virtsu. In 1944 the two-story station building with its high roof was destroyed.
In Virtsu, in addition to the harbor, a fish processing factory and a company for the production of plastic windows are of economic importance. Virtsu is also known today for the wind farm of the Estonian energy company Eesti Energia , which was inaugurated in October 2002 . It was expanded in 2008 and 2010.
Werder Castle
In 1465 the vassal castle of Virtsu was first mentioned in a document. It was probably built near the shore in the 1430s. The founders were the Uexküll family , vassals of the Bishop of Ösel-Wiek . Its purpose was to monitor the sea routes between mainland Estonia and the island of Saaremaa .
The fort-like floor plan of the castle was rectangular with a side length of 25 m. The defense towers stood at the northeast and southwest corners. The walls were mostly made of limestone.
The fortress was destroyed in 1533/34 in the fighting between the local bishop, Reinhold von Buxhoeveden , and the opposing bishop Wilhelm von Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach ("Wieksche Feud"). The Treaty of Valmiera in 1536 prohibited their reconstruction. Some remains of the former fortress can still be seen today.
Werder Castle
The Virtsu court was first mentioned in a document in 1459. Until the 19th century it was called Vana-Virtsu ("Old Werder").
From 1777, the Baltic German Carl Thure von Helwig (1741–1810) built the prestigious mansion “Schloss Werder” in the Baroque style, and later a 4.6 hectare park. From 1853 the property belonged to the noble Baltic German family Uexküll . The walls of the mansion were decorated with valuable paintings and Rococo ovens were installed in the rooms .
The mansion was largely destroyed by Russian naval forces in 1917. A bar has been located in the basement since 1970.
In 1918, in the course of the German landing maneuver, Operation Albion , artillery battles broke out here between tsarist coastal batteries and the imperial navy.
literature
- Baltic historical local dictionary. Part 1: Estonia (including Northern Livonia). Started by Hans Feldmann . Published by Heinz von zur Mühlen . Edited by Gertrud Westermann . Cologne, Vienna 1985 (= sources and studies on Baltic history. Volume 8/1), ISBN 3-412-07183-8 , p. 665.
Web links
- Official website
- Entry in Eesti Entsüklopeedia (online version)
- Description (Estonian)
- Virtsu Harbor (Estonian and English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Mart Helme (ed.): Eestimaa linnuste teejuht. Guide to castles in Estonia. Tallinn 2003 ( ISBN 5-89920-319-6 ), pp. 40f.
- ↑ Archived copy ( memento of the original from March 24, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
