Anija Parish is a rural municipality in the eastern part of Harju County, Estonia.
The administrative center of the parish is the town of Kehra, while the borough of Aegviidu and the village of Alavere are also notable.
According to the Danish Census Book of 1241, the western part of the modern Anija Parish was split between the Ancient-Estonian counties of Revala and Harju.
More specifically the northern parts of the modern parish were located in the ancient Jõelähtme parish [et] of Revala county and included the villages of Aavere, Anija, Kõlu, Soodla, Kihmla, Pirsu, Kehra, and Parila.
There have been several historic settlements on the lands of modern Pillapalu and Aegviidu, including Kosenõmme, Rekka, Kaikvõhma, Koolma, Koonukõrve, and Laudisalu, all of which were mentioned in 1379 as belonging to the Lehtse Manor [et].
The law was a part of reforms that were aimed at curbing the powers of local feudal lords, and paved the way towards Estonian independence in 1918.
[27][28] According to the 1922 Estonian census data, released in 1924, Anija Parish consisted of the villages of Aavere, Härmakosu (Härmakoosu), Kehra, Kõrve (Kärve), Loo (Kerbuküla), Oja, Otsa, Pillapalu, Pirga, Pirsu, Soodla, Vikipalu, Ülejõe, and of Anija, Kehra manors.
[29][30][21] According to the 1922 Estonian census data, the villaged of Alavere Parish consisted of Arava, Jõeääre, Kuusiku, Laksu, Palu, Pikva, Rasivere, Rooküla (Rookla), Soo-otsa (Sootsa), Taganurga, Uuearu, the settlements of Alavere, Rooküla , and of Kaunissaare, Nõmbra, Pikva manors.
In addition, the 1923 list of Estonian settlements released by the Estonian postal authority also mentions Mõisaaseme settlement, Jõeääre, Pikaveski, and Vetla watermills on the Jägala river, and Pirgu watermill on the Jõelähtme river, near the border of Peningi parish.
Taganurga was located east of the Vetla watermill, on the eastern bank of the Jägala River.
[29][31][21] According to the 1923 list of Estonian settlements released by the Estonian postal authority, the areas of Lehtse Parish that lied on the grounds of modern Anija Parish consisted of the villages of Aegviidu borough, Koolme, Pruuna-Kõrve, and of the historic settlement of Kosenõmme (Kasenõmme).
[42] When the Estonian Central Polygon was established in 1952, many villages and farmsteads were forcefully left abandoned or destroyed in the area, including what is now eastern Anija Parish: Apuparra, Koitjärve, Kõrveveski, Kulli, Lepasilla, Pruunakõrve, parts of Pillapalu.
The parish is home to the reservoirs of Soodla, Raudoja, Aavoja, and Kaunissaare, which belong to the Tallinn water supply system.
The Jägala River, along with its tributaries of Soodla, Aavoja, Mustjõgi, Jõelähtme, Jänijõgi, and Tarvasjõgi, flow through the parish.
[56] The Kaunismaa area in the village of Kuusemäe, between Kehra and Anija, is home to a collection of small lakes.
[58] The Põhja-Kõrvemaa, Soodla, Voose, and Aegviidu areas are notable for their naturally hilly landscape.
[55] The village of Ülejõe is home to a large ash mountain (Estonian: tuhamägi), made of the manufacturing leftovers of Kehra pulp and paper mill and general garbage.
[59] As for religious organizations, the Aegviidu Aleksander congregation of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Aegviidu borough,[61] the Baptist Kehra congregation and one Baptist prayer house in the town of Kehra operate in the municipality.
[55] Kehra, the administrative center, is located approximately 32.8 kilometers from the outer edge of Tallinn through Kose-Jägala, Jägala-Käravete, and Tallinn-Narva highways.
In approximate chronological order, other sections scheduled to be built include: Kehra-Vikipalu, Kehra-Lilli-Soodla, Kaunissaare-Pikva-Alavere, Anija-Raasiku, Vetla, Voose-Vetla-Kreo, Vikipalu-Lahinguvälja, Alavere-Rooküla-Lükati.
[55] As of 2020, five bus lines were providing local transport in Anija Parish, three of which operate on every workday.
The parish is home to the reservoirs of Soodla, Raudoja, Aavoja, and Kaunissaare, which belong to the Tallinn water supply system.