Photogallery of Rakvere, Estonia

Approximately halfway from Narva to Tallinn, there is a charming Estonian town named Rakvere. The geographic position of this settlement makes Rakvere even more attractive for tourists. This town is a typical Estonian countryside with an old castle, historic quarters, and old buildings made of stone and wood. Rakvere manages to remain attractive all year round, but winter makes this town truly spectacular. A soft snow cover decorates all buildings and streets in Rakvere, and numerous trees covered with sparkly snowflakes form a picturesque tunnel. During a walk in this corridor, it feels like you are in some kind of a fairytale. The first mentions of the modern Rakvere region date back to the 13th century. The settlement appeared not far from an old feudal castle. Starting from the period before our age and until the early Middle Ages, the indigenous people of Estonia – the Aesti – called this region Tarvanpea. On February 18, 1268, a major battle took place near the town. In this battle, there were not two but three participants, namely, the Danish and German knights and the Russian army. The event is known as the Battle of Wesenberg. For more than two centuries, starting from 1347, the Livonian Order was controlling Rakvere. During the Great Northern War, which happened in the 18th century, the Russian troops occupied Rakvere. The town remained a part of the Russian Empire until the beginning of the 20th century. Over the next twenty years, Rakvere belonged to the … Read further