Saastna Chapel
The medieval Saastna Chapel, dedicated to Saint Olav II Haraldsson, was located on an island (now a peninsula) at the mouth of Matsalu Bay, along the maritime route leading from Gotland to Tallinn. It was a well-known pilgrimage and offering site, visited by travelers from distant lands even in later centuries.
Archaeological investigations were carried out at the site during the summers of 2022 and 2023 in order to determine the age of the building and clarify its construction history. Until then, the chapel site had been marked only by an overgrown ruin. The excavations at the location of a medieval chapel were the first of their kind in western Estonia.
Lihula
The hillfort of Lihula was probably becoming the most important center in western Estonia by the late 12th century. It was located only a few kilometers from the shoreline, while its harbor may have been even closer, near the mouth of the Penijõgi River (Dog River) at the time.
In 1211, Lihula became the residence of the Bishop of Estonia, and by the 1240s it had developed into an administrative center of the Livonian Order. During the summer of 2023, georadar and magnetometer surveys were carried out at the site in cooperation with archaeophysicists from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. The aim of the research was to identify traces of the prehistoric stronghold structures, the earliest church, and the medieval settlement.
Taramäe Hillfort
The once water-rich Purtse River divided the ancient district of Askele in two and also served as an important artery of water transport. Taramäe hillfort is situated near the river’s former mouth, where a harbor must once have existed for Viking ships travelling along the northern coast of Estonia.
Fieldwork carried out at Taramäe and its surroundings in 2022 and 2023 led to the discovery of limestone walls nearly seven meters wide, while separate fieldstone wall complexes were also investigated in greater detail. The site appears to have been a powerful fortification, although its exact age remains unknown. No traces of permanent habitation were discovered.
Tarakalda Hillfort
A few kilometres upstream from the mouth of the Purtse River lies Tarakalda hillfort, which may have served as the centre of the ancient district of Askele at the end of the prehistoric period. Archaeological finds in the surrounding area include a settlement site, sacrificial springs, and a cemetery.
The fortification walls of the hillfort have been investigated previously, making it known that the stronghold was in use both during the Pre-Viking Age and in the 13th century. Research conducted in the summer of 2023, however, revealed buildings located within the hillfort itself. The heating of prehistoric stone stoves leaves traces that can be detected by magnetometer surveys. The results suggest that the hillfort was inhabited on a permanent basis.