Hiiumaa

Hiiumaa ( German and Swedish Dago, " Taginsel " ) is an island in the northern Baltic Sea, west of Tallinn. It belongs to the Moon Sound Islands and is approximately 965 km ² the second largest island of Estonia.

Hiiumaa is the main island of the circle Hiiu (Estonian also Hiiumaa or Hiiu maakond ), to which also the southern offshore island Kassari (19 km ²), and numerous smaller islands and islets belong.

Geography

Hiiumaa Estonia is the most wooded region. About 60 % of the island is forested. In addition to pine and spruce forests, there are also some juniper groves. In the interior of the island there are swamps ( 7%).

The topography of the island is quite flat, the highest point is 68 meters on the western peninsula of Tornimägi Kõpu. Also in the West, there are several lakes, of which the Tihu Suurjärv with around 85 hectares is the largest.

History

Archaeological finds indicate a settlement of the island in the 4th century BC. First documented in 1228 as it was Dageida. In 1254 it was divided between the Livonian Order and the Diocese of Osel - Wiek. From 1563 to 1710 the island was under Swedish rule. In 1710 it was captured in the Great Northern War of Russia. Many local Estonian Swedes emigrated or took under the Czarist regime in the Estonian language.

The island was occupied during both the First (Operation Albion ) and during the Second World War ( company Siegfried ) by German forces.

Traffic

Public transport on the island is handled exclusively by buses. There are also bus connections to Tallinn.

With the Estonian mainland, the island is connected by a ferry from investors Heltermaa. The crossing takes about 90 minutes. In the south is a ferry to the largest Estonian island of Saaremaa.

From the airport there are Kärdla flights to Tallinn.

In long periods of frost is also possible to reach the island on a road across the frozen Baltic Sea with the car.

Administrative divisions

Gallery

Chapel of Malvaste

Old farmhouse in Tammela

Museum of Sõru

Lighthouse of Tahkuna