Culture Minister Heidy Purga has designated 15 shipwrecks at least 100 years old in Estonian waters as cultural monuments.
According to the ministry, the wrecks, which have been placed under protection as archaeological monuments, are an important part of Estonia's underwater cultural heritage and provide valuable information about shipbuilding, seafaring, maritime trade and naval warfare in different historical periods.
"Underwater cultural heritage is still a relatively new category of protected monument in Estonia, with 122 underwater monuments currently under protection. The addition of 15 historic shipwrecks to the list is therefore a significant and substantial expansion. It also provides an opportunity to mark the 25th anniversary of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage and highlight Estonia's commitment to preserving our maritime heritage," Culture Minister Heidy Purga said.
The newly protected sites include the wrecks of 12 sailing ships, the destroyer S31, a steamship and the merchant steamship Success. Four are located in Estonia's internal waters, nine in its territorial waters and two in its exclusive economic zone. All the wrecks are sufficiently well preserved to serve as important archaeological sources of historical information.
"Every shipwreck is a unique and irreplaceable historical source, providing firsthand information about shipbuilding, maritime trade, naval warfare and everyday life in its time, often in greater depth and detail than written records can offer. The Baltic Sea's unique preservation conditions have given us an extraordinary underwater cultural heritage. This is something we can be proud of, but we also bear responsibility for protecting it," said Maili Roio, underwater archaeology adviser at the National Heritage Board.
An underwater monument includes the wreck itself and the associated archaeological cultural layer, including any detached parts. The area surrounding a wreck may also constitute a maritime grave. A 300-meter-wide protection zone will be established around each monument, allowing authorities to assess the impact of planned activities nearby and, if necessary, take measures to prevent damage.
Protecting the shipwrecks also helps Estonia fulfill its obligations under the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage. Estonia joined the convention on February 2, 2021.
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