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The Great Castles Tour
1. Tartu City & University of Tartu → 2. Kassinurme Fort and Sacred Grove → 3. Ruins of the Viljandi Order Castle → 4. Paide Vallitorn and Ruins of the Order Castle at Vallimägi → 5. Vao Tower-Fortress → 6. Rakvere Castle → 7. Purtse Fortress Residence → 8. Narva Castle
This tour takes you first to Kassinurme where the local Mytofest, festival of ancient world, takes place. There are also lots of legends and mysteries connected to the castle and the surrounding area. Come and see whether these are true!
The tour also gives you a chance to visit four great castles: ruins of the Viljandi Order Castle, ruins of the Paide Order Castle, Rakvere Castle and Narva Castle. Take your time in Paide to visit the Wittenstein History Centre in the renovated rampart tower of the castle. There's also plenty of interesting things to do in the Rakvere and Narva Castles.
Route map
Sites along route
Tartu City & University of Tartu
The university city of Tartu sits on the Emajõgi river. The large student population and wealth of museums means that the city is always alive with interesting and new events to entertain you. Come…
Kassinurme Fort and Sacred Grove
The Kassinurme ancient area was established 7000 years ago and the fort 2000 years ago. The sacred grove was discovered when the settlement was established and it is one of the oldest sacred places…
Ruins of the Viljandi Order Castle
The stone castle started to appear on the place of the former Estonian stronghold in 1224. The fortress got its final shape and size in the beginning of the 16th century and was one of the…
Paide Vallitorn and Ruins of the Order Castle at Vallimägi
Building of the Paide Order Castle started in 1265. Local white limestone was used to build the castle. The first building on Vallimägi Hill was the octagonal Tall Hermann Tower, which was destroyed…
Vao Tower-Fortress
The tower-fortress was built in the second half of the 14th century of local limestone. In 1986, the fortress was restored under the leadership of Vao sovkhoz. Exhibition on the I floor introduces…
Rakvere Castle
The castle offers many exciting activities for both children and grown-ups! You can try your hand at shooting a bow or a crossbow, sword fight and pike battle, forging, pottery, minting your own…
Purtse Fortress Residence
The construction of the vassal fortress on the Tallinn-Narva Hwy was started by Jakob von Taube in 1533. The Purtse Fortress on the large trade and military road was seriously damaged in the Great…
Narva Castle
The Narva Castle is one of the main attractions of the city. In the seventh decade of the 13th century, the Danes established a castle as a residence for the Danish King’s vice-Regent. The Narva…
