Broken branch from one of Estonia's ancient oaks made into bench
A branch from Estonia's 700-year-old Tamme-Lauri Oak, broken in a summer storm last year, has been turned into a wooden sculpture and bench for the public.
With a trunk circumference of 8.5 meters, the Tamme-Lauri Oak near Urvaste — known locally in the Võro language as the Tammõ-Lauri tamm — is Estonia's thickest oak. Believed to have started growing as early as 1326, it is also one of the country's oldest trees.
As the oak is considered sacred, tradition forbids removing anything from it. After the storm broke a branch last year, the Estonian State Forest Management Center (RMK) held a contest for ideas on how to repurpose the wood, explained RMK park ranger Mati Urbanik.
Students at Pallas University of Applied Sciences (KKP) proposed turning the 2.7-meter-long, 60-centimeter-thick branch into a sculpture that would double as seating.
The company Puu Vägi crafted the bench based on KKP student Andi Poolak's winning design, "Stretch."
"It would be hard to make anything more dignified from decayed wood like this," said Urvaste community member Airi Hallik, praising the bench's versatility. "You can sit here by yourself, or meditate alone by the Tamme-Lauri Oak. Even young couples can sit here comfortably."
The Tamme-Lauri Oak, whose hollow trunk has been reinforced with steel, was placed under nature protection in 1939. The landmark tree was also depicted on the Estonian 10-kroon banknote.
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Editor: Mari Peegel, Aili Vahtla
