Toila

The existence of an ancient settlement in Toila is suggested by a sacred grove (hiis) on a high coastal cliff, offering springs along the Pühajõgi River, and an offering stone in Oru Park. The oldest tarand grave found in Virumaa is located beside the current Toila cemetery. The burials there took place in two periods: 2nd–4th and 7th–8th centuries AD.

The first written record about the Toila area, in the Danish Census Book, mentions neighbouring Pühajõe as a tiny hamlet with a size of 6 hides. In 1426, the neighbouring Kärilõpe village (now Altküla) was first mentioned. In 1547, the site of modern Toila was mentioned as Männiku, where a knightly manor was situated.{{cite web|title=Toila kodulugu|url=http://toila.edu.ee/kool/index.php?kodulugu=Ajalugu%203|publisher=Toila Gymnasium|access-date=22 June 2013|language=et}}

During the Great Northern War, Russian cavalry general Boris Sheremetev built reduits around Pühajõgi, to hinder Charles XII in approaching the Battle of Narva.

Toila as a summer resort was discovered in the middle of the 19th century. The first tens of summer cottages were erected in the 1870s. In the second half of the century, a harbour was built in the estuary of the Pühajõgi River. Among locals, it became known as the "King's Jetty" (Kuninga muul). In 1914, the number of vacationers exceeded a thousand, while the number of residents was around 500. After World War I, the number of vacationers from Russia drastically decreased and Toila was used by only several hundred vacationers, mostly Estonian intellectuals.{{cite web|title=Toila kuurorttoote perspektiivse väljaarendamise kava|publisher=Toila vallavalitsus|page=30|language=et|year=2008}}{{cite web|title=Toila alevik|url=http://www.eestigiid.ee/?CatID=91&ItemID=856|publisher=eestigiid.ee|access-date=22 June 2013|language=et}}

At the end of the 19th century, Russian merchant Grigory Yeliseyev (who owned a store on the Nevsky Prospekt in St Petersburg) bought land for his new summer residence in Toila. A palace in the Italian renaissance style designed by Gavriil Baranovsky and a large park by Georg Kuphaldt were established. After being expropriated from its Russian owner, from 1934 to 1940, the palace, known as Oru Palace (in neighbouring Pühajõe village), was used as the summer residence of the first Estonian president, Konstantin Päts. The palace was destroyed in the Second World War.

• Konstantin Päts (1874–1956), president of Estonia, summered at Oru Castle from 1934 to 1940
• Igor Severyanin (1887–1941), Russian poet, summered in Toila from 1910 and lived there from 1918 until 1935{{cite book |title=Igor'-Severjanin |last=Lauwers |first=Lenie |year=1993 |publisher=Peeters Publishers |isbn=90-6831-491-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ft9iSJAESAkC }}
• Notable vacationers in Toila include:
• Writers and poets: Valmar Adams, Artur Adson, Betti Alver, August Gailit, Jüri Parijõgi, Aleksis Rannit, Johannes Semper, Igor Severyanin, Friedebert Tuglas, Marie Under, Henrik Visnapuu
• Actors: Leo Kalmet, Felix Moor, Netty Pinna, Paul Pinna, Salme Reek
• Musicians: Artur Kapp, {{Interlanguage link|Jenny Siimon|et}}, Eduard Tubin, Aleksander Thomson
• Artists: Johann Köler, Ado Vabbe
• Cultural and political figures: Carl Robert Jakobson, Konstantin Päts, Jaan Poska

File:Toila Sanatorium, Spa, Hotel.jpg|Toila Spa Hotel

File:Estonia Toila plaża.jpg|Toila Beach

File:Pühajõe suue.jpg|Mouth of the Pühajõgi River in Toila

File:Pühajõgi River Valley in Toila.JPG|The Pühajõgi River in the park

File:Toila kalmistu.jpg|Toila cemetery

File:Cemetery of German soldiers in Toila 08.jpg|Cemetery of German soldiers

File:Toila 01.jpg|The settlement

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.toila.ee Toila Parish] {{in lang|et}}
• [http://www.toilaspa.ee/en Toila Spa Hotel]

{{commons category|Toila}}

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{{Toila Parish}}

{{Boroughs of Estonia}}

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Category:Boroughs and small boroughs in Estonia

Category:Spa towns in Estonia

Category:Tourist attractions in Ida-Viru County

Category:Kreis Wierland