'Night of the Ancient Bonfires' takes place in Estonia this Saturday
This Saturday, August 26, is the Night of the Ancient Bonfires (Muinastulede öö), a time when fires are lit in coastal areas of Estonia, including in Tallinn.
Notwithstanding its name, the event became an annual one in 1992 and is also marked in Finland; in past times, fires were often lit in prominent seashore locations, as a navigation aid for ships at sea, and also for signaling purposes.
Night of Ancient Bonfires takes place on August 26th. This is a #tradition of lighting bonfires along the coast on the last Saturday of August. The tradition began in 1992 on the coasts of #Estonia and Finland. Bonfires are lit along the seashore at sunset. pic.twitter.com/PeK6LjpxsT
— Tallinn (@tallinnofficial) August 25, 2023
In practice, nowadays the night effectively marks the end of summer.
Public areas where bonfires and other attractions can be viewed include the Port of Noblessner, in North Tallinn.
Also known as the Night of the Ancient Lights, locations of bonfires open to the public, both in coastal areas and inland and not only in Estonia, but also in Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden and even further afield in Europe, can be viewed on the map here.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte
