Kaarma – Historic Church, Vicarage and Castle on Saaremaa

Kaarma is a historically significant place on Saaremaa with several clearly distinguishable testimonies to ecclesiastical, architectural and regional history. For travel orientation, the focus is not on general promises but on specific buildings and their documented features: Kaarma Church, Kaarma Vicarage, Kaarma Schoolhouse and Kaarma Castle.

Kaarma Church with a rare triple window

Kaarma Church holds a special place in the history of Saaremaa. It was the first church on the island to use buttresses. Buttresses are reinforcements attached to the outside of masonry. They are therefore part of the church’s structural design, while the triple window stands out as a distinctive window form. Another striking detail is located on the east wall of the chancel: there, the church has a triple window that is rare in Estonia. The interior also contains a polychrome wooden sculpture of Simon of Cyrene. These three features offer different perspectives on the church – from its architectural development and an unusual architectural detail to sacred art.

Vicarage and schoolhouse as distinct historical testimonies

Kaarma Vicarage also reflects several building phases. The main building is an architectural monument dating from the 13th to the 18th century. The vicarage granary dates from the 18th century and thus forms a separate part of the vicarage complex. In addition, Kaarma Schoolhouse is one of the area’s architectural monuments; it is dated 1863. The three buildings therefore differ both in their function and in their chronological classification: the main building spans the period from the 13th to the 18th century, the granary represents the 18th century, and the schoolhouse the 19th century. The main building and the granary belong to the vicarage, while the schoolhouse is a separate building with a later date.

Kaarma Castle and its location

Kaarma Castle was built on a former river island. The site was located where the Põduste jõgi divided into two branches. This historic landscape feature forms part of the context of the castle’s location and also preserves the memory of an earlier river configuration. For local orientation, the castle is recorded 100 metres northeast of Kaarma Church. It is also located at the sixth kilometre of the Laadjala-Kaarma-Karja road. The former river island describes the historic landscape of the site, while the indication of 100 metres northeast expresses the spatial relationship to the church.

Historically, Kaarma Castle is also associated with the uprising of 1260 to 1261: during this uprising, it was a gathering place for the warriors of Saaremaa.

Other local pages in the selection

If you would like to extend your search on Saaremaa beyond Kaarma, the direct selection also includes Mändjala, Upa and Nasva.

For the overarching travel overview: Kaarma Parish.

More destinations

More places within the same destination:

Keskranna, Tahula, Anijala, Aula-Vintri.