Kuusiku: Manor, Park and Agriculture

Kuusiku can be explored through a range of themes: the history of the manor, agriculture and riding lessons. Nearby, Rapla grass airfield offers another point of interest for recreational aviation. These highlights give travelers different ways to connect with the area—from architectural and agricultural history to horses and aviation. It is worth distinguishing the individual places and their functions.

Manor History and Protected Park

The main building of Kuusiku Manor was built in the 18th century as the manor house of the estate complex and is a registered immovable monument. In 1924, a state agricultural experimental station was established in this main building. Another historic manor building is the stable and carriage house, an architectural monument dating from the first half of the 19th century. Together, these details mark different periods of construction and use, without conflating them into a single building.

The manor park is also a distinct part of the area’s history: it is designated as a protected park and covers 18.8 hectares of land and 0.7 hectares of inland water. It is also registered as an immovable cultural monument under registration number 15330. The figures distinguish land from inland water; they describe the size of the park, not the area of the agricultural park.

Agricultural Park and Education

Founded in 2004, Kuusiku Agricultural Park is unique in Estonia. Covering five hectares, it includes a collection garden for field crops, a vegetable and ornamental plant garden, an orchard and berry garden, and demonstration plots. Each area has its own focus: field crops, vegetables and ornamental plants sit alongside fruit and berries, while the demonstration plots complement the gardens.

The park aims to teach people about rural life and the history of agriculture and raise awareness of them. Its themes also include environmental measures in modern agriculture, as well as agricultural science and education. Its focus therefore extends beyond historical agriculture: contemporary environmental measures and agricultural education are explicitly included too. Those interested in these themes will find a tangible connection here to Kuusiku’s rural and agricultural history.

Riding Lessons and Recreational Aviation

Kuusiku Stables offers riding lessons for beginners and advanced riders. Horse keeping at the stables began in 1997. These details distinguish the current riding lesson offer from the longer history of keeping horses there.

Rapla grass airfield is located near Kuusiku, in the village of Iira in Raplamaa. It lies a few kilometers from Rapla in the direction of Märjamaa and was historically also known colloquially as Kuusiku Airfield. The location in Iira and the name Rapla help distinguish this airfield from the manor and the agricultural park. The grass airfield is Estonia’s largest center for recreational aviation. Activities there include skydiving, gliding, powered flight, paragliding and powered paragliding, as well as model aviation. This range of activities makes the airfield a distinct attraction alongside Kuusiku’s manor and agricultural highlights.

Ponds and Swimming Area

Water conditions are also important when planning a trip: the ponds and canals in the manor park are becoming overgrown. There is no designated swimming area, as the river and reservoir need to be cleaned and maintained. The park’s history and swimming should therefore be clearly distinguished; the description of the protected park does not mean that an organized swimming area is available there.

Discover more destinations: Rapla, Märjamaa, Saunaküla, Käru, Kastna, Kõrbja.

Return to the main travel overview: Rapla.