Kärdla
—  Town and municipality  —
The town square of Kärdla.
Flag Coat of arms
Kärdla Location in Estonia
Coordinates: 59°00′N 22°45′E / 59°N 22.75°E / 59; 22.75Coordinates: 59°00′N 22°45′E / 59°N 22.75°E / 59; 22.75
Country	Estonia
County	Hiiu County
Government
- Mayor	Ene Kaups
Area
- Total	4.5 km2 (1.7 sq mi)
Population (2004)
- Total	3,736
- Density	830.2/km2 (2,150.3/sq mi)
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
- Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Website	www.kardla.ee

Kärdla (Swedish: Kärrdal, German: Kertel) is the largest town on the Estonian island of Hiiumaa and the capital of Hiiu County.

Geography

Kärdla is located on the north-eastern coast of Hiiumaa, by the Gulf of Tareste (Estonian: Tareste laht, original Swedish: Tarrasviken). Southeast of the town is the Kärdla meteorite crater, which is 455 million years old. Several small rivers flow through the town. There are also artesian wells in Kärdla.

History

Kärdla was first mentioned in 1564 as a village inhabited by Swedes. Its growth was greatly influenced by the cloth factory founded in 1830. A port was built in 1849. Both the port and the factory were destroyed in World War II. Kärdla officially became a borough in 1920 and a town in 1938.

Population

Kärdla Airport

Transport

Road transport from Estonian mainland to Hiiumaa involves a 90-minute (28 km) ferry crossing from Rohuküla to Heltermaa, which is 25 km by road from Kärdla. There are about 10 ferry departures a day. In the summer weekends, getting car space on the ferry usually requires advance booking. There are about 2 scheduled buses a day between Tallinn (the capital of Estonia) and Kärdla.

There are no scheduled passenger boats directly to Kärdla.

Kärdla is served by Kärdla Airport, with regular flights to Tallinn.

Kärdla town itself is small enough to get around on foot. Bicycle rental is available and there is a good bicycle path built from Kärdla towards Kõrgessaare.

Events

June's first weekend annual Hiiumaa Children's festival takes place.

In first week of August coffee-loving people of Kärdla expect visitors to 15 caffeterias opened just for one day in their own gardens, serving coffee and home-made pastry.

Famous people

• Eveli Saue (born 1984), biathlete and orienteer
• Erkki-Sven Tüür (born 1959), composer

Gallery

• 

  The church of Kärdla

• 

  Rannapaargu restaurant

• 

  Hiiumaa Tourist info center

• 

  Street in Kärdla

Cities and towns (Linnad) of Estonia Abja-Paluoja · Antsla · Elva · Haapsalu · Jõgeva · Jõhvi · Kallaste · Kärdla · Karksi-Nuia · Kehra · Keila · Kilingi-Nõmme · Kiviõli · Kohtla-Järve · Kunda · Kuressaare · Lihula · Loksa · Maardu · Mõisaküla · Mustvee · Narva · Narva-Jõesuu · Otepää · Paide · Paldiski · Pärnu · Põltsamaa · Põlva · Püssi · Rakvere · Räpina · Rapla · Saue · Sillamäe · Sindi · Suure-Jaani · Tallinn · Tamsalu · Tapa · Tartu · Tõrva · Türi · Valga · Viljandi · Võhma · Võru Jaanilinn (Ivangorod) and Petseri (Pechory) were annexed by the Soviet Union in 1945 and are currently part of Russia.

Municipalities of Hiiu County Urban municipality Kärdla Rural municipalities Emmaste · Käina · Kõrgessaare · Pühalepa