Porkuni

According to the 2011 census , 148 people lived in the village, 143 (96.6%) of them were Estonians ^[2] .

Population dynamics of the village of Porkuni ^{[3] [4]} :

The first mention of the settlement probably dates back to 1407 , when in the 3rd Pskov Chronicle there was an entry about Porhu as the place where Prince Constantine's army passed in his military campaign across the Narva River ; in 1732, the Porkholmi manor was mentioned ( est. Porkholmi mõis , in German - Borckholm ) ^[5] .

It is also believed that Porkuni got its name by the name of the Tallinn Bishop Simon von der Borch , who in 1479 ordered to build a fortified settlement on an island surrounded by a lake . It was surrounded by a high stone wall, inside there were long and narrow rooms, and in the courtyard of the settlement there was a church and a well . In addition to the gate tower , there were seven towers in the corners of the wall and on the sides. In the XVI century, fierce battles were fought for the episcopal castle, by the beginning of the XVII century it was already in ruins and was no longer mentioned as a fortified place. In the people these ruins were called Old Town ( est. Vana Linn ). ^[five]

Currently, a partially rebuilt porch tower and many ancient passages and cellars have been preserved from the ancient settlement of Porkuni. The lower part of the tower in the volume of three floors is quadrangular, the last floor is octagonal. The fourth and fifth floors were rebuilt, probably in the living quarters for the guard ; they have a stone handwashing bowl and fireplaces with brick cores, typical of the buildings of medieval Estonia. Of interest are the internal portals and window openings of hewn stones on the stairs . The tower and the ruins of the ancient settlement of Porkuni are under state protection and are listed in the State Register of Cultural Monuments of Estonia ^{[6] [7]} .

Next to the so-called Old Town, with which many legends are connected, in 1870-1874 a master's mansion was built. In 1953-1956 an educational building for the special internat was built. ^[3]

In 1924, the deaf- and -dumb school was opened in Porkuni, opened in 1866 in Vandra . In front of the school building there is a memorial sign in honor of Ernst Sokolowski, the founder of the Estonian School of the Deaf and Dumb . ^[3]

In the 1920s, the Porkuni settlement emerged on the manor lands. In 1977 it received the status of a village. In the same year, during the campaign for the consolidation of villages, the village of Jõootsa , formed in 1970, was merged with Porkuni. ^[five]

In the village there is a public school . A new, modern school building was built by the summer of 2011 . There is an Internet connection, a bus service to Rakvere , Tapa , Väike-Maarja , Paide and Tallinn . ^[four]

In June 1992, the Plate Museum was opened in Porkuni. It is located in the observation tower preserved from the site of the 15th century. Since May 1992, limestone is considered an Estonian national stone. From the tower offers a beautiful view of the surroundings. An old limestone quarry on the northwestern edge of the park of the former Porkuni manor also belongs to the Museum of the limestone.

Porkuni is one of the most beautiful places of nature in Lääne-Virumaa ^[3] . This is a popular summer vacation spot with renovated running bridges for swimming on the lake, a sandy beach, a playground and a diving tower. There is a boat , water bike and canoe rental service . The surroundings of Porkuni are focused on tourism : the shores of Lake Porkuni are put in order, park paths are laid. EuroVelo international cycle route passes through Porkuni. The Porkuni Porkuni Pillar International Children's Folk Festival is held in Porkuni.

• Porkuni manor
• Porkuni Nature Park ^[8]

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  Porkuni Castle Tower

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  Manor House of Porkuni Manor

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  Lake Porkuni

• Battle at Porkuni Lake