Hanila

58.55055623.601944Koordinaten: 58 ° 33 'N, 23 ° 36' O

The village Hanila ( Hanila küla ) located in the homonymous country church ( Hanila vald ) in Lääne in Estonia.

Population and location

The village has 39 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2013). It is located eight kilometers northeast of the ferry Virtsu.

Hanila ( German Hannehl ) was first mentioned in 1154 in the geographical description of the Arab cartographer al - Idrisi.

Village Museum

In 1993 a museum was established in the premises of the former school. It mainly deals from ethnographic perspective with the local textile and jewelry arts. In addition, the historical life of the peasant society Läänemaas is presented.

Paul 's Church

Today's Evangelical Lutheran St. Paul 's Church of Hanila is one of the oldest surviving churches in the region.

The first fortified church without tower with its narrow, quadrangular choir was built in 1260-1270 on the initiative of the Livonian Order on the important road between Tallinn and Virtsu. The single stone building is kept simple. It was not until 1857/59, the tower was added.

Preserved are trapezoidal grave plates from the 13th century inside. Altar and pulpit are baroque carvings from the early 18th century. They probably originate from the master of Cologne Friedrich Weiss, who worked during the Great Northern War in Pärnu.