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A Medieval Monastery In Estonia
Estonia had an interesting time in the Middle Ages. Along with the other Baltic States of Lithuania and Latvia, they were the last bastion of paganism in a continent that had become entirely Christian.
Various Christian kingdoms decided this was a good excuse for conquest and launched the Northern Crusades. From 1208 to 1224, the Germans, Danes, and Swedes attacked Estonia and eventually conquered it.
Once the knights had finished their work, it was time for the clergy to step in. Prominent among these were the Cistercians, one of the most powerful monastic orders of their time. In 1220 they were rewarded with lands at Padise near the important port of Tallinn. They built a small stone chapel there and began expanding it into a large fortified monastery in 1317.
In 1343 the Estonians rose up against their occupiers and burned down Padise Monastery, killing 28 monks. The uprising was crushed and the Cistercians rebuilt the monastery better and stronger than before. It continued being a monastery until 1558, when it became a fortress protecting the landward approach to Tallinn. The building changed hands several times during the region's many wars. It was besieged twice, the siege in 1580 lasting 13 weeks, during which the defenders (Russians at that moment) got hammered with Swedish artillery and eventually were starved into submission.
Gallery: Padise Monastery
In 1622, King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden gave the monastery and lands to Thomas Ramm, Burgermeister of Riga, in exchange for Ramm giving up the city to the king's army. I suppose the Ramm family wasn't very welcome in Riga after that.
I visited on a quiet, gloomy winter afternoon as part of a day trip with Tallinn Traveller Tours, after a morning spent chasing the Estonian Army. Mart, my guide, led me up some slick icy steps to the top of the tower to look out over the snowy countryside. Somehow I managed not to slip and fall to my death. Writing for you people always seems to send me up unsafe heights. At least it wasn't as bad as the minaret in Samarra.
After we made it down safely, Mart took me around the castle grounds.
"Imagine being a kid here," he said. "We all played like we were knights in castles, but the kids around here get the real thing."
Lots of Estonian kids are lucky that way. Forts, manor houses, and monasteries abound in the Estonian countryside. This area was fought over for centuries yet the Estonians managed to keep their distinct language and national character. Eventually they managed to get independence too.
We entered the great hall, once used for meals and services, and admired the fine arches and carved columns. From there we explored the dark, chilly cellar, where a centuries-old oven was still black from baking bread for the monks.
"Look at this," Mart said, shining is mobile phone light on the wall.
A mosquito was perched on the cold stone.
"I'm surprised it's still alive," I said.
"I should kill it," Mart said. "I hate those things. They swarm around you all summer."
He left it alone. I was glad. I've always respected survivors.
Read the rest of my series: "Exploring Estonia: The Northern Baltics In Wintertime."
Coming Up Next: Gifts from Estonia!
[Photos by Sean McLachlan]
I visited on a quiet, gloomy winter afternoon as part of a day trip with Tallinn Traveller Tours, after a morning spent chasing the Estonian Army. Mart, my guide, led me up some slick icy steps to the top of the tower to look out over the snowy countryside. Somehow I managed not to slip and fall to my death. Writing for you people always seems to send me up unsafe heights. At least it wasn't as bad as the minaret in Samarra.
After we made it down safely, Mart took me around the castle grounds.
"Imagine being a kid here," he said. "We all played like we were knights in castles, but the kids around here get the real thing."
Lots of Estonian kids are lucky that way. Forts, manor houses, and monasteries abound in the Estonian countryside. This area was fought over for centuries yet the Estonians managed to keep their distinct language and national character. Eventually they managed to get independence too.
We entered the great hall, once used for meals and services, and admired the fine arches and carved columns. From there we explored the dark, chilly cellar, where a centuries-old oven was still black from baking bread for the monks.
"Look at this," Mart said, shining is mobile phone light on the wall.
A mosquito was perched on the cold stone.
"I'm surprised it's still alive," I said.
"I should kill it," Mart said. "I hate those things. They swarm around you all summer."
He left it alone. I was glad. I've always respected survivors.
Read the rest of my series: "Exploring Estonia: The Northern Baltics In Wintertime."
Coming Up Next: Gifts from Estonia!
[Photos by Sean McLachlan]
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