#1124 Hiiumaa, Estonia

Hiiumaa (German & Swedish: Dagö; Danish: Dagø; Finnish: Hiidenmaa) is the second largest island (989 km²) in Estonia. It is in the Baltic Sea, north of the island of Saaremaa, part of the West Estonian archipelago. Its largest town is Kärdla.

Archaeological evidence of the first human settlement in Hiiumaa dates to the 4th century BC. The first documented record of the island of Dageida was made by contemporary chroniclers in 1228, when Hiiumaa and the rest of Estonia were conquered by Germanic crusaders. In 1254, Hiiumaa was divided between the Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek and the Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order, acting partly on behalf of the Hanseatic League.

The island was part of Swedish Estonia from 1563 to 1721, after which it passed to the Russian Empire as part of the Governorate of Estonia, though Dagö's Swedish population kept most of their privileges. Most of the island's previously numerous Swedish-speaking population emigrated or were "Estonianised" during the period of Imperial Russian rule, although a minority remains to this day. Estonian Swedes are also known as "aibofolke" (meaning island people in Swedish) or "rannarootslased" (meaning coastal Swedes in Estonian).

Wikipedia.org

Date of Issue: March 17, 2016 - Architecture

Sent on: July 14, 2016

Received on: July 19, 2016

#1122 Hiiumaa, Estonia

Kõpu Lighthouse (Estonian: Kõpu tuletorn) is one of the best known symbols and tourist sights on the Estonian island of Hiiumaa. It is one of the oldest lighthouses in the world, having been in continuous use since its completion in 1531.

The lighthouse marks the Hiiu sandbank (Estonian: Hiiu madal, Swedish: Neckmansgrund) and warns ships away from the shoreline. Light from Kõpu Lighthouse can be used for navigation as far as 26 nautical miles (48 km; 30 mi) away, although in 1997 a radar lighthouse largely took over its role as navigation aid.

Wikipedia.org

Kassari Chapel (Estonian: Kassari kabel) is a chapel on the island of Kassari in Hiiu County, Estonia, thought to date to the 18th century.

Kassari Chapel is the only functioning stone church in Estonia with a thatched roof. Major repair work bearing the date 1801 on an inner wall suggests that the current chapel was built in the 18th century, probably replacing a wooden structure dating to the 16th century.

Wikipedia.org

Date of Issue: March 17, 2016 - Architecture

Sent on: July 14, 2016

Received on: July 19, 2016