Last modified: 2001-05-23 by dov gutterman
Keywords: estonia | kuressaare | saaremaa |
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by Ivan Sache, 28 January 2000
See also:
Adopted: June 1992. Proportions: 1:2. "Spanish pale"
of white - blue - white.
Jorge Caneias, 5 April 1999
From: http://www.kuressaare.tt.ee/Eessona/engl_eessna.htm
Kuressaare is a small and cosy town with a long history, rich in
different events, located on the coast of the Livonian Bay. In
written records Kuressaare (Arensburg) market town was first
mentioned in 1424. Kuressaare was granted the city rights in
1563; thus the town will celebrate its 435th
anniversary this year. During its long history the town has
passed ups and downs. After a devastating campaign of the Russian
troops in 1710, that was followed by a big fire and an outburst
of plague, only 11 town citizens and 60 cotters families
survived. The town stayed in a standstill for almost half a
century. The situation turned for better at the end of the 18th
century only. Construction activity was undertaken again, streets
were repaired and trading enlivened. Discovering the curative sea
mud in the vicinity of Kuressaare brought along a new developing
direction for the town. Several Mud Treatment Establishments were
constructed and Kuressaare gained the fame of a health resort. At
the end of the 19th century a couple of thousand
people arrived in Kuressaare every summer. During the post-war
years the town started growing rapidly. Today the population of
Kuressaare is 16,100