Discover Kohila: Ceramics, Church Art and Historic Sites

Kohila offers several points of interest for a trip focused on ceramics, church art and historic sites. When choosing a hotel, it is helpful to distinguish between them: the Kohila Symposium takes place in Kohila, while Loone linnus is in the village of Loone within the municipality. Keeping these differences in mind when planning lets you choose whether to focus on the town itself or other destinations in the municipality.

Ceramics and artistic exchange

The Kohila Symposium is an international residency for wood-fired ceramics. Each year, up to eleven artists are invited to Kohila for three weeks. They create new works using wood firing, collaborate and share their experience. The symposium thus brings together a specific material and production process with international artistic exchange. For your travel planning, this offers a different way to experience Kohila than its historic sites: the focus here is on ceramics and collaborative artistic work.

Church art and historic sites

The Angerja Issanda Taevaminemise Kirik brings together church history and church art. It was consecrated on January 28, 1901, and is one of the few Estonian Apostolic Orthodox churches with a newly painted iconostasis that includes all the saints’ icons. The year of consecration and the iconostasis offer different points of interest: the date provides a specific historical marker, while the iconostasis is a distinctive feature of the church’s interior.

The Angerja vasall-linnus is located in the village of Pahkla within the municipality. Protected as an architectural monument, the site features surviving sections of stone walls and remnants of the basement level.

Loone linnus (Lohu Jaanilinn) is in the village of Loone and is an archaeological hillfort site. A new bridge and an information board were completed there in 2022; the site is also suitable for a picnic. The two sites offer different points of interest: at Pahkla, attention is drawn to the surviving sections of the stone wall and basement level, while Loone stands out for its archaeological character, information board and picnic facilities.

Ways to explore the region

A project page from January 2023 describes shorter routes for exploring the area on foot or by bicycle. A publication dated January 31, 2023, lists the “Kapa Kohila lood” discovery route among the routes in the Kohila region. Both references date from 2023; check that each route is currently available before planning your trip.

Environmental education in the region

The Kohila Keskkonnahariduse Keskus offers environmental education activities for children, young people and adults in Raplamaa and in southern and western Harjumaa. Environmental education adds a distinct focus to the cultural and historical themes. The age groups mentioned range from children to young people and adults.

Gin and manor history

TOHI Distillery operates its gin distillery in the historic vodka kitchen of Tohisoo Manor. Tours and tastings are also available. The connection between gin distilling and the rooms’ former use as a vodka kitchen offers a different historical perspective from the religious and archaeological sites. If a tour or tasting is part of your travel plans, check availability in advance.

Discover more destinations: Urge, Lohu.

Return to the broader travel overview: Kohila.