Haapsalu, Estonia
We are moving to Haapsalu, Estonia which u is a small town of approximately 10,000 on the west coast of Estonia. It is in an area known as Noarootsi (Noa meaning knife, and rootsi meaning Sweden) or Nuckö in Swedish. Apparently many years ago those that lived in the area close to the sea carried knives on their belts. The area around Haapsalu has greater cultural ties to Sweden with names and architecture bearing more resemblance to Estonia’s Scandinavian relatives.
Haapsalu Episcopal Castle courtyard
The town of Haapsalu dates back to 1279 and it has many historical buildings including an incredible Episcopal castle in the centre of the old town. The economy is driven by tourism and in the summer the population increases significantly with many Swedes and Finns coming to spend time in the city during the summer. This is also the city where we got married in 2007 (technically the ceremony was in nearby Ridala, and the reception in Haapsalu).