Lahemaa National Park
Encyclopedia
Lahemaa National Park is located on Northern Estonia
, 70 kilometers east from capital Tallinn
. Its area covers 725 km² (including 250.9 km² of sea). It was the first national park
of the former Soviet Union
. Given its size it is one of Europe's biggest national parks.
Its charter calls for the preservation, research and promotion of North-Estonian landscapes, ecosystems, biodiversity
and national heritage.
The name Lahemaa originates from the most thoroughly studied and visited part of the North-Estonian coast, where four large peninsulas (Juminda, Pärispea, Käsmu and Vergi) are separated from each other by four bays (Kolga, Hara, Eru and Käsmu.) Lahemaa translates roughly as "Land of Bays".
The national park is one of the main tourism drawcards in Estonia. Several Companies offer day tour packages from Tallinn, while many people drive themselves. There are four manors situated in the national park. The baroque Sagadi Manor, Estonia’s most known Palmse Manor, picturesque Vihula Manor and Kolga manor make up one of the most unique group of manors.
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
, 70 kilometers east from capital Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
. Its area covers 725 km² (including 250.9 km² of sea). It was the first national park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
of the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. Given its size it is one of Europe's biggest national parks.
Its charter calls for the preservation, research and promotion of North-Estonian landscapes, ecosystems, biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
and national heritage.
The name Lahemaa originates from the most thoroughly studied and visited part of the North-Estonian coast, where four large peninsulas (Juminda, Pärispea, Käsmu and Vergi) are separated from each other by four bays (Kolga, Hara, Eru and Käsmu.) Lahemaa translates roughly as "Land of Bays".
The national park is one of the main tourism drawcards in Estonia. Several Companies offer day tour packages from Tallinn, while many people drive themselves. There are four manors situated in the national park. The baroque Sagadi Manor, Estonia’s most known Palmse Manor, picturesque Vihula Manor and Kolga manor make up one of the most unique group of manors.