A particularly interesting museum located in the old castle (the only on in Europe not having been rebuilt since 14 century). Exposition is focused on the history itself, covering all periods, including the modern history, a few expositions dedicated to the Soviet era, but more leaning towards medieval history, including the history of the castle itself. A nice souvenir shop, a huge beech tree in the castle yard, a bronze model of the castle and ramparts all add to the experience. A café with the view is available on the top floor of the castle tower.

Definetely worth to go, spare at least 3-4h for proper visit. Every floor is dedicated to certain era, museum workers are delighted to assist if you have a questions or got lost. 😀. Greetings to Mrs Õnne, to whom I had pleasure to chat about historical matters over 30min.. ❤️. The cafe under the roof offers a decent break after climbing all those stairs, there are intresting cites written on them; WCs are free, clean and have everything you may need. Expositions are great, some permanent, some temporary, very intresting gobelen-kind exposition in the dungeon about Estonian history. 5* from me, definetely will be back one day!

A surprisingly large museum on the History of the castle and Saaremaa Island! The visitor is led through the well renovated medieval castle and introduced to the the building and its past functions. There is a very nice section on Saaremaa indigenous people ✨ the upper floors (3-6) only provide sparse information for foreign travellers unfamiliar with Estonian history. Still, there are a lot of interesting exhibits to look at. On the top floor, there is a Café, but we were already too late to enjoy this part of the museum.

Great place when exploring Kuressaare Castle. It was founded in 1865 and is one of the oldest museums in Estonia. It has a great collection of exhibits on the history and culture of Saarema which included Mihkli Farm Museum focusing on traditional rural life on Saaremaa and another the Johannes and Joosep Aavik House Museum.

Museum you will definitely like to visit to find out more about Saareema and Kuressaare. Interesting exhibitions with some very old exhibits in good condition. Would definitely recommend to take a guide.

Lovely museum. Some of the exhibitions only are in Estonian and Russian. Would benefit from English displays too. Castle itself is very nice. A lot to see and walk around.

Very nice museum really worth visiting during your staying in kureesaare, it perfectly explains the history of the island with a special focus on the Soviet period.

1 | An interesting sculpture on the waterfront depicting a married couple carrying a boat full of fish. According to Estonian legend, Töll and Piret protect fishermen. 2 | The sculpture was created by Estonian sculptor Tauno Kangro, whose other works can be found in Tallinn. It was unveiled in Kuressaare in 2002 and is made of bronze and dolomite. 3 | The sculpture is located right next to the hotel where we stayed. If you have a few extra minutes, it’s a nice spot to stop by.

Lovely and playful sculpture. It is depicting the mythical heroes of the island Saaremaa. Sculpture is standing nearby the castle.

Children ages between 2-11 were really excited to play around the giants. They were also interested of the story about them, and made more stories in the evening. Nice place.

Interesting sculpture located near the castle. It's a very short walk from the castle towards the piret. The myth behind is interesting and you can read on about it online or ask your guide. If you wish you can sit and enjoy the view which is calm and this area is very quite to read a book as well.

Cute. Must see on Saaremaa. It will not take much time. But leaves a pleasant feeling.

Nice monument, interesting story. Available in many languages.

Nice place to walk. Sculpture is based on local legend motives. Giants are guardians of island.

Excellent place for a meal. Food was fabulous, the staff friendly and helpful and the atmosphere is great. Located in an old mill house and they’ve made the best of it. Price are decent and the quality is superb. Highly recommended.

A gem! Such a neat concept inside the windmill, very well done aesthetically. On top, the service was fast and friendly! On top of that, amazing food. A good variety without feeling overwhelmed. Everything was cooked and flavored perfect. Drinks and Schnapps delicious! We highly recommend and if we are ever in the area again, we will eat here.

Restaurant in old windmill building. Delicious food. Good local beer from barels. Local authentic dessert Kama Curd Milk Foam, was very good. Also a great service from staff. Children friendly place, there is a little play house for kids, our kids adored this thing. Prices were good for what you get at this place. Must visit place in Kuressaare. Reservation recomended, can be very busy at weekends.

These were the best meat dishes we’ve had in Estonia. Although we’ve been to many steak restaurants and were able to choose the cut and cooking level, we’ve never enjoyed a meat experience this much. We ordered both beef and lamb from the menu, and the chef absolutely nailed it perfectly cooked and full of flavor. The accompanying garnishes and sauces were also excellent. The place itself is already beautiful, but the fact that the food was this delicious truly surprised us. Highly recommended from the heart ♥️

Visited in Sep 2025 Saaremaa Veski is the most popular restaurant to visit in Kuressaare as per all online searches, as the restaurant is located in the windmill and has been in operation since 1899. Ordered the cheese balls for starters and the Trout for the main course. The food was quite good and the portion size was just perfect. Also tried a couple of Saaremaa local beers, including a home made beer by the restaurant. All in all, given the history and folklore about this restaurant, this place should be on your list to visit for a meal if you’re in Kuressaare.

Didn't have a fish at all. I asked the waiter if there any fish at all available and he said that we didn't receive any fish today so unfortunately we dont offer dishes with fish today. It was dissapointing. Great cocktails. Dog-friendly place

Aside from the obvious delights of having dinner inside a windmill, this restaurant offers a very pleasant atmosphere, featuring a lovely selection of Estonian music. There were only a handful of vegan/vegetarian options, but I very much enjoyed my Windmill Bowl.

Beautiful castle with a multi floor museum. You get to learn about Kuressaare history all the way from middle ages to World War 2 and forwards. We spent nearly 5 hours there. Cafe at the 7th floor has a great view and tasty cakes. A nice breather after the slow climb. It's clear that a lot of thought and love went into the castle renovations and the whole museum. There are plenty of professional tour guides around the castle that are ready answer questions. Near all the content is available in English and even Finnish. Definitely worth a visit. The Tavern in the castle yard makes their own craft beer. Was pretty good.

A very interesting, beautiful, and cool experience - definitely worth visiting and enjoying the atmosphere! 🏰✨ P.S. We couldn’t find the Linnuse Kali anywhere - they must have hidden it deep down in the cellars!

.Very impressive medieval castle, which was transformed into a gun fortress later on. They have a very unique exhibition there that shows you the live of the Estonian people during the Soviet time. Also, there are about a dozen or so big wooden coats of arms from local families hang on the walls of the medieval part of the castle. All in all a very interesting place, with some very unique features (e.g. the Lion's den). There entrance fee is not very cheap, but it is totally worth it. Also, you can explore the outside walls and go on top of the defense tower, where there is a superb view over the landscape. But beware - there is a lot of stairs climbing involved, so if you have bad knees or such, this place might not be for you. Oh, and they have a very nice gift shop. And the personnel there is very friendly and helpful.

1 | The biggest attraction not only in Kuressaare but on the entire island of Saaremaa. It is definitely worth visiting. It’s a medieval fortress from the 16th–17th centuries, surrounded by a moat. (More precisely, the fortress stands on an artificially built island.) The layout of the entire fortification system is interesting, as it resembles a flower. 2 | The fortress includes a small fortified village with a windmill, a well, several towers, and bastions. Today, visitors can enjoy a museum, a café, and several food stands on site. 3 | Entry to the fortress costs €12, but you can explore the area around the fortress for free, and that alone is worth it. 4 | Interestingly, after the fortress lost its military purpose in the 19th century, it served among other things as a poorhouse. During World War II in 1941, 90 civilians were executed in the courtyard. Hundreds more died here during the Nazi occupation.

The relatively recent renovation of the ground floor is magnificent. The mediation in the upper rooms of the museum is mainly in Estonian and Russian, not English, but still interesting from a historical standpoint. Staff was very friendly and welcoming.

What a lovely place. Very well preserved and beautifully maintained fortress. It has a restaurant on the territory and a beautiful windmill. You can go inside the windmill and explore what is inside. The fortress is also a museum dedicated to Saaremaa and Estonian history, and I would say it's one of the best museums in Estonia so far. Highly recommend visiting. You will not be disappointed.

Very well maintained castle exhibition, took us about 1,5 hours to rather quickly go through everything. The first two floors are lighter and the upper floors are more information dense. I recommend following the map guide on how to walk through the castle without missing anything or getting lost. The experience was great this way. The map can be borrowed from the ticket booth.

(Translated by Google) "Here the resistance of Nazi troops in Estonia was finally broken" 11/24/1944. “On the night of December 23-24, 1944, about 300 German officers, 2,640 soldiers and 117 Estonian youths working in the airfield support service were evacuated from the port of Sääre. All these young Estonians survived thanks to Field Marshal Ferdinand Schörner, who did not carry out Hitler’s order “fight to the last soldier.” This ended the war on Estonian territory. In the autumn and winter of 1944, a large number of Syrula residents were also taken to Germany (according to German data - about 1,400 people, according to Estonian data - 3,000 people). They were housed in concentration camps in Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic, where a third died from starvation, disease and warfare. Later, in cooperation with the corresponding Belarusian foundation, representatives of the forcibly removed Estonians successfully applied for monetary compensation from Germany. In the Polish town of Zlocieniec, a memorial sign was unveiled with the names of twenty-four residents of the Estonian peninsula buried abroad." (Original) "Здесь было окончательно сломлено сопротивление нацистских войск в Эстонии" 24.11.1944." "В ночь с 23 на 24 декабря 1944 года из порта Сяэре были эвакуированы около 300 немецких офицеров, 2 640 солдат и 117 эстонских юношей, работавших во вспомогательной службе аэродрома. Все эти молодые эстонцы остались живы благодаря фельдмаршалу Фердинанду Шёрнеру, который не выполнил приказ Гитлера «сражаться до последнего солдата». На этом закончилась война на территории Эстонии. Осенью и зимой 1944 года в Германию было также вывезено большое число сыруласцев (по немецким данным — около 1 400 человек, по эстонским — 3 000 человек). Они были размещены в концентрационных лагерях Польши, Германии и Чехии, где треть умерла от голода, болезней и военных действий. Позже, в сотрудничестве с соответствующим белорусским фондом, представители насильно вывезенных эстонцев успешно ходатайствовали о получении от Германии денежной компенсации. В польском городке Злоценец был открыт памятный знак с именами двадцати четырёх захороненных на чужбине жителей эстонского полуострова"

(Translated by Google) May 22, 2025 Small monument to fallen German soldiers. (Original) 22 maj 2025 Litet monument över fallna tyska soldater.

(Translated by Google) There was a lot of junk to see, some of it interesting, but unfortunately no German explanations at all. Everything is a bit mixed up, for example an NVA uniform that was issued as a Wehrmacht uniform, as well as various NVA badges, which have nothing to do with WW II. (Original) Es war eine Menge Schrott zu sehen, teilweise auch interessant, aber leider überhaupt keine deutschen Erklärungen. Alles etwas bunt durcheinander gewürfelt z.B. eine NVA-Uniform, die als Wehrmachtsuniform ausgegeben wurde, sowie diverse NVA-Abzeichen, was ja nun nichts mit mit WW II zu tun hat.

(Translated by Google) The Soviets were active here, the trenches can still be found in the forest (Original) Hier waren die Sowjets zu Gange, die Schützengräben findet man immer noch im Wald

(Translated by Google) Relatively one slaughter place in recent history. A quiet moment and the hope that never again (Original) Suht lähihistorian yksi teurastus paikka . Hiljainen hetki ja toive ,ettei koskaan enään

(Translated by Google) An interesting place, with lots of antiques related not only to war, but also to agriculture. (Original) Įdomi vieta, daug sendaikčių susijusių ne tik su karu, bet ir su žemdirbyste.

(Translated by Google) Historical monument about the defeat of German troops. (Original) Исторический памятник о разгроме немецких войск.

Beautiful church.

(Translated by Google) Church of St. Nicholas in Kuressaare Kuressaare Püha Nikolai kirik 1784 "The Vice-Governor of Saaremaa (1783–1797) Balthasar von Campenhausen (1745–1800) announced the decision of Empress Catherine II to build a new stone church in the town of Arensburg in Saaremaa with 1,205 inhabitants. 1785. 11,600 rubles were allocated for the construction of the temple. Necessary drawings prepared by Matthias Shons, architect of the governor of Livonia. The new stone church of St. Nicholas in Arensburg was consecrated on September 22, 1790 (according to the old style) by the Archbishop of Pskov and Riga Nevinovny. The three-nave limestone church in the late classicism style faces the courtyard due to the position of the end wall from the altar. overlooks the main street of the city. Restoration work, begun in the first decade of the 21st century to preserve the shrine, was large-scale; work of this scale had not been carried out at once since the construction of the temple. In 2007-2008, the helmet of the bell tower was restored, in 2008-2009, the vestibule tower as a whole, the brick part of which was partially rebuilt. 2012. In 2008, the roofs of the meeting hall and altar room were restored, new copper roofing, new drainage systems and lightning protection were installed. 2013. in 2014, the facade and doors of the bell tower were restored. all windows were restored in [1], 2015. in interior doors, 2016. chairs in the parish hall. The roof beams of the Church of St. Nicholas in Kuressaare were gilded, and trees that threatened the preservation of the architectural monument were removed." (Original) Церковь Святого Николая в Курессааре Kuressaare Püha Nikolai kirik 1784 год. "Вице-губернатор Сааремаа ( 1783–1797 ) Бальтазар фон Кампенхаузен ( 1745–1800 ) сообщил о решении императрицы Екатерины II построить новую каменную церковь в городке Аренсбург на Сааремаа с 1205 жителями. 1785 . На строительство храма было выделено 11 600 рублей. Необходимые чертежи подготовил Маттиас Шонс , архитектор губернатора Ливонии . Новый каменный храм св. Николая в Аренсбурге освящен 22 сентября 1790 года ( по старому стилю ) архиепископом Псковским и РижскимНевиновный. Трехнефная известняковая церковь в стиле позднего классицизма обращена главным входом во двор благодаря положению участка. Торцевая стена со стороны алтаря выходит на главную улицу города . Реставрационные работы, начатые в первом десятилетии 21 века по сохранению святыни , были масштабными, со времени строительства храма работы такого масштаба не проводились сразу. В 2007—2008 годах реставрирован шлем колокольни , в 2008—2009 годах тамбурная башня в целом, кирпичная часть которой частично переложена. 2012 . В 2008 году были отреставрированы крыши зала для собраний и алтарной комнаты, установлено новое медное кровельное покрытие, новые водосточные системы и молниезащита. 2013 . в 2014 году отреставрированы фасад и створки колокольни . все окна восстановлены в [1] , 2015 . в межкомнатных дверях, 2016 . стулья в приходском зале. Ригели крыши церкви Св. Николая в Курессааре были позолочены, а деревья, которые угрожали сохранению архитектурного памятника, были удалены."

(Translated by Google) The oldest church in Saaremaa, 1790. (Original) Самая старая церковь на Сааремаа 1790 год.

(Translated by Google) Beautiful church! Wonderful employees and parishioners🙏 The walls are saturated with spirituality🙏 God's help and grace 🙏 (Original) Прекрасная церковь! Замечательные служащие и прихожане🙏 Стены пропитаны духовностью🙏 Божьей помощи и благодати 🙏

(Translated by Google) Who knows, please tell me what time the morning service starts tomorrow? Thanks in advance. (Original) Кто знает, подскажите пожалуйста во сколько начинается утренняя служба завтра? Спасибо заранее.

(Translated by Google) A well-maintained Orthodox church (Original) Labi uzturēta pareizticīgo ba/nīca

(Translated by Google) Very good to smoke inside (Original) Baigi labi pīpēt iekšpusē

My home church,always in my heart

A lovely concert today!!!

Good acoustics

(Translated by Google) "Kuressaare Lawrence Church is a church built in the first half of the 19th century in Kuressaare, which was put into operation on November 29, 1836. Previously, there were two churches on the same site, the first of which was destroyed during the Northern War, and the second burned to the ground in 1828 as a result of a fire that broke out as a result of a lightning strike. The church contains a 14th-century baptismal stone from Anseküla Church (burned down in 1944), which is very close to the baptismal stones of the so-called Frölje group on Gotland. The sides of this ten-sided kupa are covered with two rows of fantastic animals and creatures that represent evil spirits, only on one side is an animal with a three-pointed tail, standing on two legs. From the 16th century there is a wall brazier depicting a man holding a flag, and from the 17th century two chandeliers: a 16-arm chandelier with an eagle from 1635 and a twelve-arm chandelier with an image of a horseman from 1634." (Original) "Курессаареская церковь Лаврентия — церковь, построенная в первой половине 19 века в Курессааре , которая была введена в эксплуатацию 29 ноября 1836 года. Ранее на этом же месте располагались две церкви, первая из которых была разрушена в годы Северной войны , а вторая сгорела дотла в 1828 году в результате пожара, вспыхнувшего в результате удара молнии. В церкви находится крестильный камень XIV века из церкви Ансекюла (сгорел в 1944 году) , который очень близок к крестильным камням так называемой группы Фрелье на Готланде . Стороны этой десятигранной купы покрыты двумя рядами фантастических животных и существ, которые олицетворяют злых духов, только с одной стороны находится животное с трехконечным хвостом, стоящее на двух ногах. С 16 века есть настенная жаровня с изображением мужчины, держащего флаг, а с 17 века две люстры : 16-рожковая с изображением орла 1635 года и двенадцатирожковая люстра с изображением всадника 1634 года."

(Translated by Google) Not a flashy place, but a nice place to eat, like anywhere, when you're in a good-spirited group. We, the KLM male choir, were in Kuresaari, Estonia, for a concert. (Original) Ei mikään loistelias mutta mukava paikka ruokailla, kuten missä hyvänsä, kun on hyvähenkisessä porukassa. Me KLM-mieskuoro olimme Viron Kuresaaressa konsertoimassa.

(Translated by Google) God's word was, is and remains (Original) Jumala sõna oli, on ja jääb

(Translated by Google) Mother's church funeral was a heartfelt and modest service. The church is clean, white, in bright colors. The service can be followed online. (Original) Ema kiriklik matus oli südamlik hingehoidlik talitus. Kirik on puhas, valge, helgetes toonides. Jumalateenistust saab jälgida veebis.

(Translated by Google) The new name is the municipality of Saaremaa (Original) Uus nimi on saaremaa vallavalitsus

Great experience. Great vegan option! They have menus in English, waiters are very nice. Food was yummy. 10/10.

We ordered four meals - two schnitzel, one salad, one salmon. The salmon was not served until everyone else was ready. The waitress was service oriented and friendly but had to take all the blame. We negotiated a discount but that's it. Don't come here to eat. But it's a nice place for a cold beer.

Old fire station with terrace overlooking the main square, so we enjoyed some live music that was played in the square from the terrace. They have some estonian and european beers on tap and bottles, but nothing too exotic. Service was super slow when you wanted even your first drink, so taking one star off that. I wish you could order from the bar if you are thirsty, but impossible! Did not try the food this time.

Waited for food a bit to long. Portion size good. Fries perfect. The rest food was nice, but nothing incredible. For lunch/dinner is okay

Excellent customer service. Perch was crunchy and tasty. Bruschetta was garlicy and nice! Vegan burger meal was also very tasty, a bit chilled, but good overall 9/10 for the whole dish. We highly recommend. Very good value for money!!

The dinner was simply SO good! And the guy who attended our table was so friendly, helpful and funny - he really made our evening special. Thanks 😊 it's all it takes - friendliness and little smile 😊😁

This place is huge! They even have weddings in it. They also serve vegan choice. Vegan burger was a bit overrated, but at least I could have a whole vegan meal there.

(Translated by Google) A wonderful shop full of art and various jewelry, ceramics and clothes. (Original) Ihana puoti täynnä taidetta ja erilaisia koruja, keramiikkaesineitä ja vaatteita.

Cool shop to find various things and jewelleries

(Translated by Google) A large selection of goods, but the prices are expensive. (Original) Suur valik kaupa aga hinnad on kallid.

(Translated by Google) Good art (Original) Hea kunst

(Translated by Google) Very bad experience. I visited the library, I had already selected the books, when I felt sick. I wanted to visit the toilet. The receptionist said that their toilet is closed and the public toilet is in the department store. Do not visit this house, maybe the same thing will happen. Dear freelancers and dancers. Get dressed at home before you come out. 01.06.2018 (Original) Väga halb kogemus. Külastasin raamatukogu, valisin juba raamatud välja, kui tundsin, et mul hakkab halb. Soovisin külastada tualetti. Administraator ütles, et tualett on neil suletud ja avalik wc on kaubamajas. Seda maja ärge külastage, äkki juhtub sama. Kallid isetegevuslased ja tantsijad. Käige ennem kodus kempsus ära, kui välja tulete. 01.06.2018

(Translated by Google) A place where events in various fields etc. take place. Library in the same building, for those interested in reading. Various events, concerts, theater performances, etc. are constantly organized in the house. Very pleasant place 😊 (Original) Koht, kus toimub erinevates valdkondades üritusi jne. Raamatukogu samas majas, lugemis huvilistele. Majas korraldadakse pidevalt erinevaid üritusi, kontserdid, teatri etendusi jne. Väga meeldiv koht 😊

(Translated by Google) I really liked it and interesting patchwork techniques were used. (Original) Väga meeldis ja huvitavaid lapitehnikat oli kasutatud.

(Translated by Google) Clean, properly furnished rooms, good service - everything is as it should be. (Original) Puhtad korralikult sisustatud ruumid, hea teenindus - kõik on nii, nagu peab.

(Translated by Google) It was an interesting and beautiful patchwork exhibition😀 (Original) Oli huvitav ja ilus lapitehnika näitus😀

(Translated by Google) We went to Marek Sadama's concert. We really liked it. (Original) Käisime Marek Sadama kontserdil.Väga meeldis.

(Translated by Google) The representative office of the Comedy Theater had a full hall. (Original) Komõõdiatetri esindus sai täie saali.

(Translated by Google) Nice place! (Original) Tore koht!

(Translated by Google) I like! Thanks a lot! (Original) Мне нравится! Спасибо большое!

(Translated by Google) Always shows :) (Original) Alati näitab :)

(Translated by Google) Nice (Original) Kena

There were 11 of us, both kids and adults, and we all had a great time! The games were fun to play, and the location was super nice overall

I highly recommend this place. There are many different activities available here. The hosts are truly dedicated to serving the guests. They walk around and explain the various instruments in the torture chamber, medieval games, and take visitors to dress up in medieval costumes (a wide selection of amazing outfits and props), assist with putting on a knight’s armor, and more. Everyone can forge their own coin and make a candle if they wish. Outside, there are many different games, a catapult, and archery. You can also try out a real deep well and a water wheel in the yard. The children also loved the rabbits, which you could feed and pet. A fantastic place for both kids and adults. Incredibly friendly service. We will definitely visit again!

Our favorite attraction in Saaremaa. We spent there more than 2 hours and it was very interesting for both children and adults. Family owned place, where every detail has been thought of so that visitors can experience an authentic medieval atmosphere. Highly recommend!

Amazing experience! The owner spent a lot of time with us explaining to us about Medieval torture instruments Medieval costume and how to make coins and candles. We also got to try on mediaeval armour play some really cool handbuilt wooden games and of course visit with the bunnies. It was a great time and we would recommend it to anyone especially families!

This is a small family business with a nice attitude. For 7eur per person have multiple fun activities: play with torture tools, dress with different armors, dress medieval clothes, medieval games, learn to do candles, arrow shootting, makes your own coin and play with bunnies 🐰. You can buy some small cookies, clothes or souvenirs done in this island or by them. I recommend totally this place, plus I've learn some fun games in a bit of history. So 7 euro fun.

Best 9 euros spent in Kuressaare, very hands-on experience, everything can be touched and tried out, and you get to make your own souvenirs as well (a coin and a candle). Plan to spend 2-3 hours in there if you are willing to feel like a kid again and be playful!

Went with two boys, 9 & 7. They absolutely loved it. Full of interactive activities. They enjoyed so much we ended up staying after closing to do more. Host was lovely to allow us.

Norm

(Translated by Google) Worth a visit. Getting smarter about language. (Original) Tasub külastada. Saab keele asjus targemaks.

(Translated by Google) Did you know that staying overnight is an Aavik word? (Original) Kas teadsite, et ööbimine on Aaviku sõna?

(Translated by Google) Johannes and Joosep Aavik House Museum. (Original) Johannes ja Joosep Aaviku Majamuuseum.