Happy TravellerWelcome to Sillamäe, a picturesque town located on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland in Estonia. With a rich history that dates back to the Livonian Order in the 16th century, Sillamäe has transformed over the years from a resort village to an industrial center, and is now a thriving hub for rare metal and rare earth metal production. Today, visitors to Sillamäe can explore its fascinating past, enjoy the beautiful seaside resorts in the area, and experience the unique culture and cuisine of this charming Estonian town.
Begin your journey through Sillamäe’s history with a visit to the local museum, where exhibits showcase the town’s role in the oil shale mining industry and uranium extraction during the Soviet era. Learn about the concentration camps that were established in the vicinity of Sillamäe to employ slave-laborers in the local mines during World War II, and the defensive positions of Germans on the hills to the east of Sillamäe, known as Sinimäed, which formed the Tannenberg Line during the Battle of Narva. The museum also features displays on the town’s famous vacationers, including poet Konstantin Balmont, painter Albert Benois, physicist Paul Ehrenfest, botanist Andrei Famintsyn, historian Mikhail Gershenzon, inventor Boris Rosing, and composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, who all vacationed in Sillamäe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
While Sillamäe’s past is fascinating, the town’s present is equally exciting. Visit the Silmet-Molycorp plant, which produces rare metal and rare earth metal products, and learn about the town’s continued role in global industry. Take a stroll along the Baltic Sea shoreline, where measures have been undertaken to secure the containment of the wastes from the tailing pond that presented a serious ecological hazard. Don’t miss the opportunity to indulge in the unique cuisine of Sillamäe, which features traditional Estonian dishes along with Russian and Finnish influences.
For those seeking relaxation and natural beauty, Sillamäe’s vicinity boasts several seaside resorts, including Toila and Narva-Jõesuu, which offer stunning beaches and breathtaking landscapes. The nearby deep-sea port, SILPORT, offers facilities able to handle dry bulk, liquid fertilizers, and oil, and cargo operations continue to show steady growth. Although a regular ferry service between Sillamäe and Kotka, Finland was inaugurated in 2006, it was forced to shut down in 2007 due to a low load factor.
Whether you’re interested in history, industry, nature, or cuisine, Sillamäe has something for everyone. Come and discover the many treasures of this charming Estonian town and experience its unique blend of past and present.
