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Few public holidays in Estonia are celebrated quite as joyously as the Estonian day of Independence, which falls each year on February 24th. If you’re visiting Estonia at this time, it’s a great day to see pride and patriotism in all its glory, and to learn about the rich history of this Baltic gem of a country.
Where to stay in Tallinn
One of the most popular centres for Independence Day events and celebrations is the capital Tallinn. Visitors seeking accommodation in Tallinn, and who want to experience the many sights and sounds of this historic national celebration, can choose from the City Hotel Tallinn, the luxurious von Stackelberg Hotel Tallinn or the impressive Kreutzwald Hotel Tallinn. Choose one of our Tallinn city centre hotels and be right at the heart of the festivities!
Featuring ZEN rooms, suites, deluxe rooms, spas, saunas and Jacuzzis, and superb restaurants in outstanding settings, each of our Tallinn hotels offer guests the chance to enjoy the many sights and sounds of this fabulous city in complete luxury.
The day’s events
In past years, Tallinn has held an Estonian Independence Parade through the heart of this ancient city, and the locations of the three hotels make them an ideal base to enjoy this show of national pride and pageantry.
If you would rather avoid the hustle and bustle of the city in full swing, an alternative celebration would be to head out to the beautiful Vihula Manor Country Club & Spa, where from 5pm Kelli Pärnaste and Tiit Korsaar will be performing a special Estonian Independence Day concert, featuring a wide variety of well-known and traditional songs.
Click here to find out about musical events at Vihula Manor Country Club & Spa.
The History of Estonian Independence
The day is significant for so many as it celebrates the establishment of the Republic of Estonia on February 24th, 1918, when the Estonian Declaration of Independence was printed and distributed in Tallinn. Estonia had been ruled by the Russian Empire for almost 200 years, until the October Revolution in 1917 put the Bolsheviks in charge, before they themselves were pushed out of Estonia less a year later by advancing German forces during the First World War.
Although the newly occupying German forces refused to recognise the declaration, they did so a few months later following the German Revolution, when the new rulers formally acknowledged and ceded power to the Estonian national government.
However, any prospect of peace for Estonians was short lived. The Russian Bolsheviks invaded in the winter of 1918, marking the start of the Estonian War of Independence. The conflict saw the mobilisation of the Estonian Army, allied with the British, Latvians, Swedes and the White Russian Northwestern Army. Fighting lasted just over a year before the Peace Treaty of Tartu was signed on February 2nd 1920.
The Republic of Estonia enjoyed independence and relative peace for almost 20 years, before the Soviets’ demands for a military presence in Estonia became the precursor to an invasion and occupation in June 1940. Apart from a three-year period during WWII when German forces briefly held control, Estonia was under Soviet rule from 1940 until the breakup of the USSR in the late 1980s.
The restoration of true Estonian independence came on August 20th 1991. Since then, Estonians have wished each other a happy Independence Day, enjoyed a public holiday and taken part in a variety of Independence Day events the length and breadth of the country.
Images by Priit Tammets, Ekke
