Haapsalu Castle

The first residence of the Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek was located in Lihula Castle, where with the help of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword, a stronghold was built of stone.

In an attempt to avoid conflicts with the influential Order, the Bishop transferred the diocese's residence to Perona, where it was burned by Lithuanians ten years later.

The inner trenches and blindages, which were built for cannons and as a shelter from bombing, date back to the Livonian War (1558–1582), during which the stronghold was severely damaged.

In the course of the Great Northern War in 1710, Estonia fell under Russian rule and the walls were partially demolished at the command of the Peter I of Russia, turning the castle in effect into ruins.

[2][3] The first written record of the church is the charter of Haapsalu where Bishop Hermann I, the founder of the town wrote: "...we, the ones having established the cathedral in Haapsalu and having provided our canons with the appropriate dwellings and income, determined a certain site to be a town, where everybody who has chosen it as their place of living together with us, could gather and find shelter there; and if needed would be able to defend the church with all the means at their disposal.

During World War II, services were continued, but in the spring of 1944 hooligans broke into the church and destroyed the altar with the altarpiece, the organ, the chairs and the windows.

In 1946, the congregation asked the Soviet government to list the cathedral as a protected historical monument, but it failed to raise their interest.

During the reign of Ösel-Wiek Bishop, every canon was supposed to lead a chaste and virtuous life according to the rules of the monastery.

A legend tells that a canon fell in love with an Estonian girl and secretly brought the maiden into the castle.

Yet, it is believed, her soul could not find peace and, as a result, she appears on the Baptistery's window to grieve for her beloved man, and to prove the immortality of love.