Estland Nationalpark Lahemaa

About the Film

On the Estonian Baltic coast, in the very north of the country, not far from the capital Tallinn, lies a large nature reserve: Lahemaa National Park. The entire region has been a nature reserve since 1971, making Lahemaa the first national park in the entire Soviet Union. Lahemaa means “land of bays” in Estonian. Four peninsulas, seven rivers and a huge primeval forest area stretch along the coast. The park is sparsely populated, allowing nature to unfold untouched. Most of the villages are located along the coast, such as the old captain’s village of Käsmu, which is also home to the largest number of erratic boulders in Lahemaa. These are large boulders that were washed ashore by the melting ice 10,000 years ago and are now under special protection. There is a river here in which pearl mussels still live. They are threatened with extinction throughout northern Europe. Here they are lovingly cared for and preserved. Another special feature: the old Soviet submarine harbor Hara, which is now dilapidated and inspires graffiti artists. In Lahemaa you can also find old manor houses, where mainly German-Baltic and Swedish aristocrats lived in the 19th century. The largest of these is Kolga Manor, which has a turbulent history and has only recently been restored by art students.

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