- Address: 41701 Ida-Virumaa, Estonia;
- Area: about 80 hectares;
- Phone: +372 339 3833;
- Website: toila.kovtp.ee.
In the north-east of Estonia near the village Toila is a huge park Oru, which has a hundred-year history. The park has become a protected area, along the perimeter of which are picturesque landscapes and remains of buildings, which are made in the ancient Roman style.
Oru Park in Toila - history and description
The park was created in the period 1897-1900 on the orders of the merchant Eliseev, who wanted to watch local beauty from his summer home. The creation of the reserve was carried out by the architect Georg Kuphalt from Riga.
The landscape park has an area of 80 hectares with a diverse nature, it is located in the valley of the river Pyhayygi. The highest elevation is the territory at an altitude of 50 m above the bay, where there are observation platforms and gazebos, where you can enjoy beautiful landscape landscapes or watch the Estonian sunset.
In 1934, the land with the palace and the park of the merchant Eliseev was bought by Estonian industrialists and presented to the head of the Estonian Republic at that time. During the Second World War, the palace complex remained solid ruins. At the end of the war, local foresters began to work on the restoration of the park. The construction of the palace did not begin, but in 1996, work began on giving the proper appearance to the terraces of the palace and the entire garden as a whole.
The tourist value of the park Oru
In the Ora Park, several hundred species of plants from different corners of the earth grow. They were brought from Europe, the Far East and America. In the park, neat asphalt paths and gazebos are set. Here are quiet and mysterious places where you can comfortably relax, some of them are equipped with benches.
On the main avenue of the park Oru on both sides are located the Bear and the Main Gate, and along the avenue the century-old lindens have grown. Also, three fountains were restored, one of the grottoes and the so-called pavilion in the Witch forest, about which the legend goes. In accordance with this, punishments were applied to the peasants, one day one of the girls preferred death rather than a flogging and jumped off the cliff. Since then, the forest is called Nyamets or Witch Forest.
In the park you can find yourself in a cave of a silver mine or you can admire the picturesque four-stepped waterfall of Aluoy. On the territory of the reserve are scattered tablets, in which you can read the history of the palace, and get acquainted with the buildings, from which there are no traces left.
Among the many arbours, tourists chose two special ones that stand in the highest places. One of them has acquired the name "Swallow's Nest", from where the sea can be seen. Also the park is famous for its wooden sculptures, for which a special place is reserved. The landscape of the park zone looks incredibly harmonious with luxurious alleys and paths, surrounded by mighty maples and poplars.
Despite the huge destruction, the park was able to regain its former beauty and continues to please tourists today. It became a popular tourist destination in Northern Estonia and a protected public facility. The entrance to the park is free, there are no restrictions on the time of visit.
How to get there?
The town of Toila is located on the border of Estonia with Russia at a distance of about 46 km. To get to the park, you need to drive along the Narva-Tallinn highway, turn right at 41 km and continue to the end. If you leave Tallinn, the path will be somewhat longer along the same route, you can get here by buses 106 and 108.