10 fun facts about Keri Island in Estonia

Keri Island is located just 6 kilometres off the coast of Prangli Island, Estonia and therefore our tour leaders often go there to explore around. We organise tours to Keri Island for large groups as well as private tours with a speedboat. In the summer 2020, we run group tours that everyone can join! What is there to see and what should you know about Keri Island?

1. Keri Island is tiny

Depending on the sea level, Keri Island stretches about 400 metres in length and 80 metres in width, giving it the total area of about 3 hectares. For example, Roald Johannson, an Estonian journalist, circled the island, by jogging along the rocky coastline, with less than 8 minutes.

2. In 2002, the last permanent resident, a lighthouse watchman, left the island

Before 2002, Keri Island had permanent residents – the lighthouse guard and his family. After they left, there is no-one living on Keri Island permanently. An NGO called Keri Selts took over the responsibilities on the island and is organising the life of the lighthouse guards, who are now all volunteers. Normally, a person who is assigned to guard the lighthouse, spends one week on the island after which another person takes over. There are so many people on the waiting list who want to have this responsibility, that they need to wait more than a year. That’s right, people are waiting for over a year to spend one week on the tiny Keri Island, keeping an eye that everything is in order and the lighthouse is working.

3. Not a single tree grows on Keri Island naturally

As of 2020, the species growing on Keri Island have been counted and the results stored in Tartu University’s eElurikkus website. According to this website, 129 different plant species grow on Keri Island, however not a single tree. The trees which are growing on the island have been brought and planted by the lighthouse guards but did not start growing there naturally. The island is also a home for many seabird species, and you can even spot seals near the island!

4. The northernmost sauna in Estonia is on Keri Island

The sauna on Keri Island really is the northernmost island in Estonia, which is great for cold and windy days as well for warm summer evenings. Every visitor on the island can ask the lighthouse guard to heat up the sauna. As the island is surrounded by the sea, you can go for a swim after the sauna. Just remember to notify the lighthouse guard’s beforehand if you wish to go to the sauna. If you can’t bring your own firewood you can buy some on spot.

5.There is also a cinema building on Keri Island

Keri Island is indeed small, but there are several buildings on the island. One of those is a house that serves as a cinema. For example, you can watch a movie made in 2018 about Keri Island. Apart from the cinema, there is also a boathouse, wood shack, house for the well, living house for the lighthouse guard, the lighthouse itself, a building that keeps the island’s power generator and even a weather station.

6. The Keri lighthouse holds an interesting story

The Keri lighthouse was built in 1719 on the command of Peter the Great. The original wooden lighthouse fell into ruins quickly, but it was renovated many times throughout history. Right now, a lighthouse dating back to 1803 with a metal tower supported by the lower part made of bricks, is guiding the passing ships. Although the lighthouse is under the heritage protection, it is slowly degrading and is closed for visitors since 2017. Luckily, the state has given funds for its restoration and hopefully the work will start soon.

Interesting fact – Keri lighthouse is part of UNESCO World Heritage’s list of 100 most rare lighthouses.

7. Keri Island was the first place in Estonia where natural gas was discovered

Keri lighthouse is the only known lighthouse in the world that has been powered by natural gas. At the beginning of the 20th century, the well on the island was deepened in order to get better drinking water. During this process, flammable natural gas was discovered instead. Once all the structure necessary from pipes to valves was built, the islanders started to use the gas for powering the lighthouse as well as the stove in the kitchen of the lighthouse’s watchman. In 1912, an unexpected explosion which shook the entire island destroyed the pipes and the island lost its gas source completely. The pipes were later sold and the money earned was donated for building the submarines Kalev and Lembitu for the newly independent Estonia.

Fun fact – there actually were plans for restoring the gas system on the island in 1912. However, only 1800 roubles were available for carrying out the plan. No one was willing to accept the job for such a small amount of money and two years later WW I started. Nowadays, the lighthouse is powered by solar panels.

8. There have been three earthquakes on Keri Island

In April 1912 there were three earthquakes with a magnitude of 2-4 on Keri Island. Although even the first earthquake was felt slightly, the last two brough shaking of the ground and a sound of thunder. It is not completely certain what caused the earthquakes, but they may have been caused by some underground gas explosions. Overall, Estonia does not have natural gas resources and that is why Keri Island is very unique. Same goes to Prangli Island, where you can see a small natural gas source.

9. There is a memorial on Keri for the Kaleva plane which was shot down near the island in 1940

On 14th June 1940 a mail plane called Kaleva arrived from Sweden to Tallinn. Later, as the plane was taking off from Tallinn again in the course to Helsinki, it was carrying 9 people and 270 kilograms of mail and parcels. Soon after the takeoff two Soviet torpedo planes flew next to Kaleva and shot the plane down. The plane fell into the sea just a few kilometres off the coast of Keri Island. It is said, that on the plane were US citizens who were the first US victims of WW II. In 1993, a memorial was put to Keri Island for the ones died in the plane crash.

10. It is possible to buy souvenirs and support the NGO taking care of the island

In the museum room on Keri Island, it is possible to buy souvenirs, such as T-shirts, mugs, badges, hats, gloves etc. All profit will go to supporting the NGO Keri Selts that is taking care of the island. If you don’t wish to buy anything, you can still support by donating. It is possible to pay in cash and by card.

There are many reasons to visit Keri Island out of the thousand other islands in Estonia. Just like Prangli Island, Keri together with other islands nearby offers endless possibilities for exploring. We organise nature tours to Prangli, Aksi and Keri Islands this summer. Read more and join us!

Sources: Keri.ee, entsyklopeedia.ee, ‘Keri saare sõbrad’ Facebook group, elurikkus.ee, our tour guides.