Medieval castle · Lääne County · Haapsalu
Haapsalu Hapsal
In the late 1200s the bishops of Ösel-Wiek moved to Haapsalu and built their residence around the largest single-nave cathedral in the Baltic states. Over three centuries it grew into a fortress ringed by an 803-meter wall with seven towers. Legend says a maiden was walled up in the church, and on August full-moon nights she appears as the White Lady in the window of the baptismal chapel.
Built / first recorded 1260s–1520s
Style Gothic episcopal castle and cathedral
Condition Lost 1710
German name Hapsal Today
The castle park among the ruins holds a museum, a watchtower and a cathedral still used for services.
Owners Saare-Lääne piiskopkond1279–1559 Rootsi kroon1581–1624 De la Gardie1624–1680 Vene impeerium1710–1917 Good to know The cathedral vaults rise 15.5 m; it is the largest single-nave church in the Baltic states. The White Lady Days festival is held at every August full moon. The castle reached its final size under Bishop Johannes IV Kievel. Photos through time 1888 · Haapsalu Castle from the southeast1931 · Haapsalu’s small castlearchive · Haapsalu Episcopal Castlearchive · Haapsalu Castle from the eastarchive · Haapsalu Castlearchive · Haapsalu Castle and the church portalarchive · Haapsalu Castle and the baptismal chapelarchive · Haapsalu Castlearchive · Haapsalu Castlearchive · Haapsalu Castlearchive · Haapsalu Castle in summerarchive · The Haapsalu castle church and towerNearby
The buildings are stylized impressions, not surveyed models. Facts: mois.ee, Museum of Estonian Architecture, ERR, Wikipedia. Photos: MuIS and Wikimedia Commons, credited with each photo.
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