Saaremaa unveils renovated 200‑year‑old Laimjala manor
Saaremaa Municipality has preserved a key piece of local heritage by completing a €3.4 million renovation of the over 200-year-old Laimjala manor house, which now brings a local district center, library, school, and kindergarten together under one roof.
Hidden 230-year-old wall paintings uncovered during construction surprised experts and forced major changes to the original design.
"This is a painting from the time the manor was built, meaning from the first layer, and it is such a valuable thing because it is more than 230 years old," said Liis Koppel, Saaremaa adviser at the National Heritage Board.
Because of the artwork, planners altered the room layout in the central section, moving the proposed shower facilities to an outbuilding.
"Because of the painting, we can use the lift to go from the basement to the first floor. But from there to the second floor, we had to give up the lift," said Saaremaa Municipality construction engineer Mehis Kallas.
Of the former 160 manor complexes in Saaremaa, only about 10 percent survive, and just one-third of those remain in good condition. Heritage experts consider every successful restoration a major conservation milestone.
The facility houses the district center and library alongside a new manor kindergarten and school. Four children will study there starting next year, though the school can accommodate up to 30 pupils.
Despite the opening, Saaremaa Municipality announced plans to close the Laimjala branch of Orissaare High School in the coming years due to demographic shifts.
"These are demographic numbers that unfortunately show us a sad fate. And the question on the table is where we will end up. Anything can be written on paper, but whether it is final, we do not yet know, and time will tell. We are talking about steps that are three, five, and 10 years ahead," said Saaremaa Deputy Mayor Moonika Parksepp.
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Editor: Marko Tooming, Argo Ideon
