Rapla

Rapla
Town
Bridges over Vigala River. Rapla church in the background.
Flag Coat of arms
Rapla Location in Estonia
Coordinates: 58°59′40″N 24°48′04″E / 58.99444°N 24.80111°E / 58.99444; 24.80111Coordinates: 58°59′40″N 24°48′04″E / 58.99444°N 24.80111°E / 58.99444; 24.80111
Country	Estonia
County	Rapla County
Municipality	Rapla Parish
Elevation	67 m (220 ft)
Population (2012)[1]
• Total	5,632
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Postal code	79511
Area code(s)	(+372) 048
Vehicle registration	L
Website	http://www.rapla.ee/

Rapla is a town in central Estonia, the administrative centre of Rapla County and Rapla Parish. It has a population of 5,618 (as of 1 January 2008).^[1] The oldest records date back to 1241 in the Danish Census Book, when it was said that it was a small village with 8 acres of cultivated fields. By the end of the 13th century the village centre was firmly established. At around the same time a Cistercian monastery was built.

Rapla's ambitious period of fast growth began only in the late 19th century. In 1866 a pharmacy was built, in 1868 a school, and in 1888 a hospital. In 1898 a Brick factory was opened and in 1900 a railway line was built between Rapla and Viljandi. The old stone church was demolished in the late 19th century and a new one was built in a new style. It was built in a Romanesque style, one of the purest examples of this style in all of Estonia.

In 1913 Rapla consisted of around 20 stone and 60 wooden houses. During this time period a number of social societies were established, such as the Volunteer Fire Company, the Song and Music Society, the Society of Agriculture, a Mutual Fire Insurance Company, a Consumer Association, and the Deposit Insurance Fund. In 1931 a gauge railway from Rapla to Virtsu opened. It was in use until 1968.

Gallery

• 
  Rapla Maria Magdalena Church
• 
  Rapla railway station
• 
  Rapla cultural centre
• 
  Central square of Rapla.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rapla.

• Rapla Parish

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.

Settlements in Rapla Parish
Town	Rapla
Small boroughs	Alu Hagudi Kuusiku
Villages	Äherdi Alu-Metsküla Aranküla Hagudi Iira Juula Kalevi Kelba Kodila Kodila-Metsküla Koigi Kõrgu Kuku Kuusiku-Nõmme Lipstu Mahlamäe Mällu Mõisaaseme Nõmme Oela Ohulepa Oola Palamulla Purila Raka Ridaküla Röa Seli Seli-Nurme Sikeldi Sulupere Tapupere Tõrma Tuti Ülejõe Uusküla Valtu Väljataguse