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Castles in Estonia

30 landmarks in the Castlemap atlas — every one mapped with a photo and its story, 26 with sourced founding dates, ranked by Wikipedia coverage and real readership.

The most famous castle in Estonia is Kadriorg Palace, ranked #329 of 7,738 in the world — followed by Toompea Castle and Kuressaare Castle.

The Castlemap atlas charts 16 castles, 2 fortresses, 6 palaces & châteaux and 6 ruins in Estonia. They span more than 7 centuries — from Toompea Castle (founded 1201) to Presidential Palace (Tallinn) (1938). Every one is plotted with its photo and story on the interactive castle map of Estonia.

Map of castles in Estonia

On the map they cluster thickest around Tallinn — 16 within a 100 km day trip. The northernmost is Toolse Castle, the southernmost Vastseliina Castle — about 207 km apart.

Planning a visit? Day-trip guides: Castles near Tallinn.

See them on the map →

When they were built

Of the 30 landmarks mapped in Estonia, 26 carry a sourced founding date. Most were founded in the 13th century — 7 of them. 17 predate 1500 and 7 were built after 1700.

All 30 castles in Estonia

Kadriorg Palace
Palace & château · 18th century · #329 worldwide · #1 in Estonia
Kadriorg Palace is an 18th-century Petrine Baroque palace in Kadriorg, Tallinn, the capital of Estonia.
Toompea Castle
Castle · 13th century · #2 in Estonia
Toompea castle is a medieval castle on Toompea hill in the central part of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia.
Kuressaare Castle
Castle · 14th century · #3 in Estonia
Kuressaare Castle, also Kuressaare Episcopal Castle, is a castle in Kuressaare on Saaremaa island, in western Estonia.
Hermann Castle
Castle · 13th century · #4 in Estonia
Hermann Castle, also known as the Narva castle or Narva fortress, is a medieval castle in the city of Narva, in northeastern Estonia.
Kiek in de Kök
Castle · 15th century · #5 in Estonia
Kiek in de Kök is an artillery tower in Tallinn, Estonia, built in 1475. It gained the name Kiek in de Kök from the ability of tower occupants to see…
Pikk Hermann
Castle · 14th century · #6 in Estonia
Pikk Hermann is a tower of the Toompea Castle, on Toompea hill in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. The first part of the tower was built in 1360–1370.
Haapsalu Castle
Ruin · 13th century · #7 in Estonia
Haapsalu Castle is a castle with cathedral in Haapsalu, Estonia, founded in the thirteenth century as the seat of the Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek.
Viljandi Castle
Ruin · 13th century · #8 in Estonia
Viljandi Castle is 13th Century castle in a Viljandi, Estonia. It was built by the Livonian Order, and construction started in 1224 in place of a…
Alatskivi Castle
Palace & château · 19th century · #9 in Estonia
Alatskivi Castle is a neo-Gothic castle in Alatskivi, Estonia. Dating to the 17th century, it is situated in Peipsiääre Parish, Tartu County.
Rakvere Castle
Ruin · 13th century · #10 in Estonia
Rakvere Castle is an important castle ruin within the town of Rakvere in the north of Estonia.
Koluvere Castle
Castle · #11 in Estonia
Koluvere Castle, also Koluvere Episcopal Castle,, is a castle in Koluvere, Lääne County, in western Estonia.
Glehn Castle
Palace & château · 19th century · #12 in Estonia
Glehn Castle is a castle on the hillside of Nõmme, part of Tallinn, Estonia. The manor was designed and established by Nikolai von Glehn on the…
Vastseliina Castle
Ruin · 14th century · #13 in Estonia
Vastseliina Castle was a castle of the Livonian Order, Bishopric of Dorpat. It was constructed by 1342 by the Landmeister Burkhard von Dreileben as…
Maarjamäe Palace
Palace & château · 19th century · #14 in Estonia
Maarjamäe Palace is a building in Maarjamäe, Tallinn. The palace is located at the site of the earlier Maarjamäe summer manor, which is its main…
Põltsamaa Castle
Castle · 13th century · #15 in Estonia
Põltsamaa Castle, also Põltsamaa Order Castle,, is a castle in Põltsamaa, Jõgeva County, in eastern Estonia.
Presidential Palace (Tallinn)
Palace & château · 20th century · #16 in Estonia
The Residence of the President of Estonia, known officially as the Kadriorg Administrative Building, and since 1992 sometimes colloquially as the…
Laiuse Castle
Ruin · 15th century · #17 in Estonia
Laiuse Castle was a Livonian Order castle in Laiusevälja, Jõgeva Parish, Estonia. The castle is now in ruins.
Toolse Castle
Castle · 15th century · #18 in Estonia
Toolse Castle is the northernmost and most recent of the Livonian castles of present-day Estonia. It lies near the town of Kunda in western Viru.
Maasilinna Castle
Castle · 14th century · #19 in Estonia
Maasilinn Castle is located in the village of Maasi in Orissaare Parish, Saare County, Estonia.
Taagepera Castle
Palace & château · 16th century · #20 in Estonia
Taagepera Castle is a mansion in Taagepera village, Helme Parish, Valga County, Estonia.
Paide Castle
Castle · 19th century · #21 in Estonia
Paide Castle was a castle built by the Livonian Order in Paide, in the Estonian county of Järvamaa.
Purtse Castle
Castle · 16th century · #22 in Estonia
Purtse Castle is a castle of a local Purtse knight manor in Purtse, northeastern Estonia.
Patarei Sea Fortress
Fortress · 19th century · #23 in Estonia
Patarei Sea Fortress is a coastal battery, part of the seaside fortifications of Tallinn raised in the 19th century, and subsequently, in the years…
Karksi Castle
Castle · 13th century · #24 in Estonia
Karksi Castle was an order castle of the Livonian Order. The ruins of the castle are located in Karksi, Estonia.
Kirumpää Castle
Ruin · 14th century · #25 in Estonia
Kirumpää Castle is a bishop's castle of about the 14th–15th century in the village of Kirumpää near Võru in Estonia, preserved in a ruined state.
Lihula Castle
Castle · #26 in Estonia
Leal Castle, at present called Lihula Castle, was an episcopal castle of the Bishopric of Ösel–Wiek, the ruins of which are in the town of Lihula,…
Vao Castle
Castle · #27 in Estonia
Vao Castle is a medieval residential tower in Vao, Estonia, in Lääne-Viru County.
Porkuni Castle
Castle · #28 in Estonia
Porkuni Castle – a fortified structure in the settlement of Porkuni, in the municipality of Tamsalu in Estonia, today preserved in the form of…
Tarvastu Castle
Castle · 14th century · #29 in Estonia
Tarvastu Castle is a 14th-century castle in Sooviku in Viljandi Parish, Viljandi County, Estonia.
Kavilda stronghold
Fortress · 14th century · #30 in Estonia
Kavilda stronghold was a castle in Tartu County, Estonia, on the western slope of the Kavilda River.

Frequently asked questions

How many castles are in Estonia?

The Castlemap atlas maps 30 landmarks (16 castles · 2 fortresses · 6 palaces & châteaux · 6 ruins) in Estonia — a curated selection of well-documented landmarks from Wikidata, not a count of every fortification ever built.

What is the most famous castle in Estonia?

Kadriorg Palace, ranked #329 of 7,738 worldwide in the atlas's fame ranking, founded in the 18th century.

What is the oldest castle in Estonia?

The oldest dated landmark in the atlas in Estonia is Toompea Castle, founded 1201. Earlier structures may have existed — this is the oldest with a documented founding year.

Where are most of the castles in Estonia?

They cluster thickest around Tallinn — 16 of the atlas's landmarks within 100 km.

How many castles are there in Estonia?