What can you see in the historical maps app?

What did administrative boundaries look like in the past? What buildings were located on my land 100 years ago? What was the name of the town of Paide during the German occupation? How much forest was there in Tallinn in the 1990s?

You can find answers to all these and many other exciting questions in the X-GIS "Historical Maps" application. Among other things, the application allows you to compare maps of Estonia from different periods, take a closer look at historical administrative divisions, and even explore the points of the Struve meridian arc.

Base maps

  • To date, over 200 different base maps have been added to the map application.
  • The base maps are divided into thematic groups, from which you can select those that are of interest to you.
  • The oldest of these is a base map covering the whole of Estonia from the late 18th century, from Mellin's "Atlas of Livonia."

Layers of historical administrative divisions

  • In addition to base maps, layers of historical administrative divisions are also regularly updated.
  • The oldest administrative division dates back to 1917, with the boundaries of the then governorates, parishes, and manors, as well as the manors themselves.
  • These can be compared with the current administrative division and changes in boundaries can be tracked.
Mellini kaart Revalis

Constant new discoveries

  • Every year, basic mapping takes place, administrative boundaries change, and orthophotos are added to the application.
  • The application allows you to use a preview to move between different years and compare changes over time.
  • The archives contain many more exciting maps that are waiting to be digitized and displayed (e.g., historical city plans and photo plans). 

Last updated: 07.11.2025

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