Kihnu

Kihnu (Swedish Kynö, German outdated Kühnö ) is 16.38 km ², the seventh largest Estonian island. Politically, it constitutes an independent municipality in the district of Pärnu

It is located around 12 kilometers south of the Tõstamaa peninsula in the Gulf of Riga. The municipality comprises Kihnu except the main island a few uninhabited small islands, covering a total area of 16.65 km ².

2006 lived on Kihnu 487 people. They are spread over the four villages Lemsi, Linaküla, Rootsiküla and Sääre. Lemsi is the port of the island. There is a ferry service to Manilaid and to Parnu on the mainland. In autumn and winter, there is also a route to Parnu; The airfield is located in Kihnus Säärekülä, as the town hall and the post office. In winter the strait between the mainland and Kihnu freezes too often, so that the island can be reached by car over the ice.

The inclusion of the cultural area of the island, led by the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity was Kihnu 2003 and 2008 compared to the mainland due to its relatively strong traditions and peculiar dialect. The traditional costume (colored wool skirts and an apron ), however, carry only a few women in everyday life. With the modernization in the era of the Soviet Union, much of the tradition has come under pressure on Kihnu: many male islanders who had previously worked almost entirely at sea, found work in the now maschinisierten agriculture. Thus, the matriarchal character of island life disappeared: in the earlier period, women had agriculture largely ordered on their own. Inclusion on the list of UNESCO took place through the intercession of well-known in Estonia documentary filmmaker Mark Soosaar and the wife of former President Arnold Rüütel, the folklorist Ingrid Rüütel.

Today, there are, as in many rural areas of Estonia, on Kihnu only little work. A branch of industry with perspective seems to be due to the Unesco - protected status of tourism. There are already on the island, a folklore ensemble, presents for tourists traditional songs and dance from Kihnu. The driving force is the new mayor Annely Akkerman, who was born on Kihnu and the ferry company ( Kihnu Veeteed ), the local tourism agency (AS Kihnurand ) as well as numerous pieces of land passes.

The Lighthouse

At the beach

In the port