Kuressaare Castle

A fortress on the outside, a castle on the inside

The Kuressaare castle-fortress is a globally unique architectural monument and one of the most important tourist attractions in Estonia, in which the Saaremaa Museum thoughtfully exhibits its unique story.

The heart of the museum is the Bishop’s castle built in the 14^th to 15^th centuries. You can also visit an extensive permanent exhibition on the older and more recent history of Saaremaa, as well as various temporary exhibitions.

The fortress surrounding the castle, built in the 14^th to 19^th centuries, is a unique open-air museum of military architecture, where you can learn about the development of defense structures through the ages. The permanent exhibition in the gunpowder cellar of the southern bastion of the fortress, reflects the communist terror of 1941, and is open during the summer season. Historical weapons are displayed in the artillery basements of the northern bastion, as well as an exhibition on the history of the city of Kuressaare.

In the four basements of the western bastion, there are historically based craft workshops, while on the lower flank of the northern bastion, there is a restored historical artillery position.