The Pühtitsa Dormition convent is the best-known Orthodox monastery in Estonia and the one most often chosen for a first pilgrimage from Tallinn. It stands in the village of Kuremäe in the north-east of the country, and a trip there fits into one day: in the morning on the road, in the middle of the day at the service and at the spring, in the evening back home.

Below is how to get there on your own and how a day trip with our group works.

The holy hill of Kuremäe

According to tradition, in the 16th century the Mother of God appeared to local people on the hill, and shepherds then found an icon of the Dormition under an old oak. The place became known among the people as holy long before the convent appeared, and the name Pühtitsa itself is usually linked with the Estonian word for holy.

The convent was founded in 1891. Its main church is dedicated to the Dormition of the Mother of God. Next to the convent is a holy spring, visited by pilgrims from all over Estonia and from abroad; many come specially to bathe in it or to take the water home.

How to get to Pühtitsa from Tallinn by car

The road from Tallinn to Kuremäe goes east along the Tallinn - Narva highway to Jõhvi, and from Jõhvi you turn south towards Lake Peipus. The whole way is about 185 km, roughly two and a half hours without stops. In the convent there is a car park for visitors.

Leave early if you want to be in time for the morning service: on feast days the church and the car park fill up quickly.

By bus

There is no direct bus from Tallinn to the convent every day, so most people go by intercity bus to Jõhvi and from there take a local bus or a taxi to Kuremäe, about 20 km. Check the timetable in advance, especially for the way back: in the evening there are few buses from Kuremäe.

A day trip with a group

We go to Pühtitsa from Tallinn on day trips, most often for the feasts: the Dormition and the feast of the Pühtitsa icon of the Mother of God in summer. The group leaves Tallinn in the morning and returns on the same day, a coordinator from Tallinn travels with you, and the programme is known in advance.

With a group there is no need to think about timetables and parking, and the time at the convent is spent at the service, at the spring and in the convent grounds. The dates of the next trips to Estonian shrines are in the pilgrimage section.

What to remember at the convent

Pühtitsa is a working convent, and the sisters' rules apply there: for women a headscarf and a skirt, for men long trousers, quiet in the grounds and photos only where they are allowed. For the spring, take a towel and a long shirt or gown. A short list of what to take on any trip is collected in the article what to take on a pilgrimage.

More about the history of the convent and photos from our trips are on the page of Pühtitsa convent.