Military Heritage Day and Seminar on the Remembrance
ICOMOS Estonian NC, in cooperation with the Estonian Heritage Board and several other partners, is organizing a military heritage seminar in Estonia, in the capital Tallinn, and Harju County on 24.04.2026.
The day will begin with a coach tour to military sites in Tallinn and nearby Harju County. The tour will be guided by Robert Treufeldt (1st half: WW I, WW II and Cold War era fortifications in Tallinn and Harju County) and Ly Renter (2nd half: Cold War era Soviet underground shelters in southern part of Harju County).
In the second half of the day, a military heritage seminar will take place in Triigi Manor in southern part of Harju County. It is also possible to participate in the seminar separately. The seminar is dedicated to the current state of protection of Estonia’s military heritage and development plans for military museums and will be moderated by Ave Paulus and Mirje Tammaru.
Military Heritage Day. April 24, 2026. Tallinn, Estonia
8.30-15.30
1st half of the bus tour, in Tallinn and nearby areas. Guided by Robert Treufeldt (ICOMOS Estonia, Icofort):
- Kakumäe. The coastal front of the Peter the Great Sea Fortress, position No. 12.
WW I (Russian Empire; protected) and Cold War (Soviet; unprotected) heritage.
- Kadrirand. German concrete bunker, so-called Tobruk bunker.
WW II (Third Reich; unprotected) heritage
- Lasnamäe. Military air base; totally unprotected heritage.
WW I (Russian and German Empires), Republic of Estonia, WW II (Estonian, Soviet and Third Reich) and Cold War (Soviet) heritage.
- Iru. The land front of the Peter the Great Sea Fortress, fortified group No. 12.
WW I (Russian Empire; partly protected) heritage.
- Loo. The unfinished detached defense position of the land front of the Peter the Great Sea Fortress fortified group No. 12 in Nehatu.
WW I (Russian Empire; protected) heritage.
Lunch in Kose (~40 km from Tallinn): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kose
2nd half of the bus tour, in Harju County. Guided by Ly Renter (county councilor, Estonian Heritage Board):
- Soviet underground shelters for protection against Western nuclear attack in the area of Kose. Totally unprotected heritage. Cold War heritage
15.30-19 Military Heritage Seminar “ Who doesn’t remember the past…” in Triigi Manor.
Triigi Manor is a medieval military heritage: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%B5ue_Manor
The seminar will be moderated by Ave Paulus (President of ICOMOS Estonia) and Mirje Tammaru (ICOMOS Estonia; county councilor, Estonian Heritage Board).
15.30 Registration, coffee break
16.00 Opening remarks. Eerik-Niiles Kross, owner of the Triigi Manor, independent researcher of the Estonian armed resistance and anti-Soviet guerilla warfare.
16.20 National inventory of military heritage. Frank Lukk, county councilor, Estonian Heritage Board.
16.40 Unprotected military heritage. Robert Treufeldt, independent researcher, ICOMOS Estonia, Icofort.
17.10 The importance of military heritage from the perspective of military education. Art Johanson,
lecturer in military history and strategic planning at the Baltic Defence College
17.30 coffee break
18.00 Estonian war monuments. Hellar Lill, Director of the Estonian War Museum–
General Laidoner Museum.
18.20 The future of the Vaivara Sinimägede Military Museum. Ivika Maidre, Director of the Vaivara Sinimägede Military Museum.
18.40 The owner’s perspective on military heritage. Tarvi Velström, NGO Hara Sadam, owner of the part of Soviet naval base, ~50 km from Tallinn.
Bus back to Tallinn around 8 PM.
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