ECI XI 
XI European Congress of Ichthyology

Social Events

EAST TO TALLINN

The main attractions to see:

KADRIORG PALACE
http://www.ekm.ee/kadriorg
 


Peter I began building the palace in 1718, and it was called Ekaterinenthal, or Catherinenthal, in honour of Catherine I. The architect of the temporary summer residence palace and park was the Italian Niccolo Michetti, who was later involved with the famous Peterhog Palace. It is said that the tsar himself laid the first foundation stones for the palace. Currently, the baroque Kadriorg Palace is housing the foreign art collection of the Estonian Art Museum.

SONG FESTIVAL GROUNDS, see http://www.lauluvaljak.ee/2002/main.php

RUINS OF THE ST. BIRGITTA’S CONVENT (15TH CENT.)  IN PIRITA; VALLEY OF THE PIRITA RIVER
http://www.osss.ee/

REBALA HERITAGE RESERVE
http://www.muinas.ee/ecp/rebala/in_english.html
Rebala is the easternmost outpost of the Nordic Bronze Culture. Within a mere 25 sq. km there are at least 3000 archaeological remains, making the area one of the densest archaeological sites in Estonia. The rich historical heritage is due to more than 5000 years of permanent human settlement in this area.

STONE BARROWS IN JÕELÄHTME and MUSEUM
http://www.muinas.ee/ecp/rebala/in_english.html

The burial places from late Bronze Age were founded between the 8th and 7th cent. BC.  The dead had been buried in central coffins with their heads pointing to the north, facing the life-giving Sun.  A limestone wall surrounded them, as if representing the world model of the man of that time - standing in the centre of a circle, man could only look at the horizon, forever unattainable to him. 
 


CULTSTONES
Altogether there are about 100 ritual stones in the preservation area into which people have carved round hollows.  The tradition of carving hollows dates from the 1st millennium BC and is connected to fertility and fecundity rituals.  The largest ritual stone (height 3.5 m) of Kostivere was believed to have had the power of granting fertility.  The woman wishing to become pregnant had to slide down the stone on her bare bottom.

JÕELÄHTME CHURCH (XIV century)

JÄGALA STRONGHOLD
This stronghold with the largest yard area (2,8 ha) in Estonia was built in the 7-8th centuries, but the place has been inhabited for approximately 5000 years since the late Neolithic Age.  The stronghold suffered great damage because of the construction of a hydroelectric power station in 1922. The hydroelectric power station of Linnamäe was considered to be one of the most beautiful architectural examples of industrial heritage in Estonia.

WATERFALL OF JÄGALA
A wonderful 7,2 m high waterfall running down the limestone edge is the highest permanent waterfall in Estonia.  Water has smoothed the limestone edge for centuries.  As a result a 12-14 m deep and 300 m long valley has been created.  The oldest known written record of a water mill in Estonia (from the early 13th century) dates from here.  Still earlier it had evidently been an ancient ritual place.

KOSTIVERE KARST FIELD
In the watersheds of the North-Estonian plateau, the rainwater infiltrates through thin Quaternary cover and limestone pores and cracks. Striving for the springs and rivers, the water dissolves the surrounding rocks, forming underground karst channels. Smooth surface topography leads to the formation of channels in the uppermost bedrock strata or just below the Quaternary cover. When the ceilings of the channels collapse, the surface karst features — karst cones and dry valleys — are formed. The karst channels have many levels. The lower levels are always filled with water, and the higher levels are flooded in high water. The water level in wells may vary by 10 or more metres. The connection between surface and underground water is marked by swallow holes, underground rivers (incl. the Jõelähtme River in the Kostivere area) and numerous karst springs. The Kostivere Karst Field is one of the biggest in Estonia (125 hectars).

SAHA CHAPEL (15th cent.)
Saha is one of the first places connected with Christianity in Estonia. The exact construction time of the chapel is unknown, but the original wooden church was burnt down during the rebellion of 1223.  Four cult stones with small hollows dating from the 1st millennium BC, located close to the chapel indicate that it had been an ancient cult place. The present chapel was probably built at the same time as the Birgitta’s Convent, i.e. in the 2nd quarter of the 15th century.  Both the chapel and the Birgitta’s Convent have been built in a very similar style: the chapel looks just like a miniature version of the Birgitta’s Convent.

MAARDU MANOR
http://maardu.www.ee/maardu2.php?pk=1&sis=1
The first reports of the Maardu Manor date back to 1397. The manor has changed a number of owners and once belonged to the Empress Catherine I. Fabian von Fersen bought the manor for his wife in 1663 and started construction work. The early central part of the manor house was completed in the 1660s and is characterised by perfect Palladian harmony of form and symmetry (the wings have been added in the 19th century). A courtyard, framed by the servants’ building, the barn and a stable-carriage house with an archway, is located in front of the main building; the other auxiliary buildings are away from the central complex. The manor is owned by the Bank of Estonia.
Approximately 6 hours (9.00-15.00).

The price of the tour is 550 EEK/person (35 EUR/person), and it should be paid in advance, preferably together with the registration fee, but not later than by 1 July. Price includes lunch. Minimum number of participants is 6 persons. In case of fewer participants the tour will be cancelled and your money refunded.



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