Saaremaa Museum Museum
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Kuressaare Castle is situated on the southern edge of the Kuressaare town, by the sea.
The anniversary of Saaremaa Museum, which is housed in the fortress, is celebrated on 17 February: the date in 1865 when the Society for Research of Saaremaa (Verain zur Kunde Oesels) was founded. The museum relocated to the castle in 1897. Its exhibition showcases the nature and history of Saaremaa. The largest and most noteworthy exhibit at the museum is the castle itself, which a fine example of the development of military fortifications between the 14th and the 19th centuries. Kuressaare Castle is one of the most authentic fortifications anywhere in Northern Europe.
Educational programs
Life on Saaremaa after World War II
In the lesson, we travel back in time to the recent past and talk about life on Saaremaa during the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic. The experience in the lesson allows students to discover the diversity of that time and understand the conditions in which their grandparents lived, worked, and studied. Students have the opportunity to compare their choices and opportunities with those that were available at that time.
Related stories
Legend of the walled-in knight
According to legend, in 1785, a Russian engineer who had drawn up a plan for a convent building found a basement in the eastern corner of the courtyard of the fortress.
Strangulation of Bishop Heinrich III
In 1381, the 80-year-old Bishop of Saare-Lääne Heinrich III found its end in the castle.