Harju County is the largest as to the population (535 887 people) and the second largest as to the total area (4333,13 km²). It is located in North-Estonia covering the costal region of the Gulf of Finland from the Gulf of Keibu to the Gulf of Eru and stretching out as far as 56 km from the sea. The centre of the county is Tallinn, which is also the capital of Estonia.
Harju County has been in the centre of the historic cultural events which is why it is the richest in cultural monuments. The following architectural monuments belong to this list: the first iron smelting place in Estonia in Tindimurru – data from the 1st century BC, the late Bronze Age stone-cist barrows in Jõelähtme, and Muuksi site of the ancient fortified settlement; the monument for the first translation of the Bible into Estonian is also lovated in Harju County. The first Bible in Estonian was published by Anton Thor Helle in 1739.
Padise Abbey, located in West-Harju County, was built in the 13th century and it belonged to the Cistercians. It is the oldest and most outstanding architectural monument of the Middle Ages of Harju County. In East-Harju County, in Kiiu park, it is possible to see a vassal stronghold, the so-called Monk Tower, dating back to the 16th century. It is the smallest tower-block type stronghold building in the batic States. The beautiful churches are open for the visitors. These churches, with the centuries old history, are good and quiet places for thinking about our earthly existence and the mystery of eternity.
The Harju County’s manor architecture was developing in the 18-19th century when the manor ensembles with the parks belonging to them became a beautiful part of the land scape architecture. The construction boom that started in the second half of the 18th century brought along high-level manor houses of dignified style (Saue, Vääna, Kolga, Riisipere). In total, 33 the most outstanding manor ensembles are under state protection in Harju County.
A distinctive feature of Harju County’s nature is its extremely varied scenery with its rich and rare flora and different fauna. Harju County has more than 300 km of coastline and 74 islands and islets. It means extraordinarily beautiful sights of wildlife and certainly the sea. The coastal shallow is 20 km wide at the peninsulas, in some places it becomes a narrow of coastal strip. Flowing down the limestone cliffs, the rivers form waterfalls the highest of which and with the highest water-level are 8m high Jägala waterfall and 6,1m high Keila-Joa waterfall.
As the plateau’s bottom rock is limestone, the landscape has a lot of karst forms like the karst areas of Kostivere and Tuhala. The most interesting phenomenon of the Tuhala karst area is Tuhala Witch Well in the yard of Sulu Farm. The well is active and starts to boil mostly in spring, but the same thing has happened also on New Year’s Eve.
Kõrvemaa landscape protection area situated in the eastern part of Harju County. This area offers possibilities for spending a holiday and free time in extremely beautiful surroundings. The hiking and educational nature trails offer a lot of experience and they are widely used both in summer and winter.
If visiting Tallinn isn't enough of an escape in itself, there are some fantastic day trips leaving from Tallinn that will put you in touch with Estonian nature and history. Tallinn Surroundings
Harju County: Tallinn Surroundings tourist map
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