Estonian Rocks and Boulders

There are all kinds of rocks of every shape in Estonia. Whatever size stones your superhero needs to crush the villain, you’ll find everything you need in this contemporary European country with its ancient history.

As a movie producer, you may often have found yourself between a rock and a hard place, an uncomfortable place indeed. Estonia knows little about hard places, but the country does have a rock or two, not to mention spectacularly beautiful boulders called “erratics.” Because these rocks were dropped by passing glaciers near the end of the last ice age around 8500 BC, they are different from the native stones and contrast amazingly with the local scenery. Should your next blockbuster production require any kind of stones of any size, they can be found in Estonia, only a few hours away from any major European airport. Not every country has a national “rock,” but Estonia does, and the people are proud of it. It’s limestone, also known as Nordic “marble,” and it could be one of the reasons Estonia still exists–it’s been used as building material here for over 2,000 years, and the structures are still standing. If you push aside the curtains in your hotel room in Tallinn Old Town, which dates from the 14^th century, you’ll see what Estonians are talking about. Fancy a trip back in time, maybe a few hundred million years or so. Do you think “One Million Years B.C.” might benefit from a long-overdue remake? Want to put the J back in Jurassic? Estonia has you covered! The striking natural extremes of its limestone coast are a short drive from Tallinn, the capital. But be sure to have your Advil with you: the scenic beauty is almost unbearably gorgeous.  While Estonia might benefit from a few more Ethiopian restaurants and Cajun eateries, it makes up for lack of culinary diversity by its array of erratic glacial boulders. If you need any that are more than 100 feet across, you will find them by the hundreds in Estonia. And your hunger pangs will probably disappear at the sight of them anyway. Ehalkivi, or the Sunset Glow Boulder near Letipea village, is the largest erratic boulder in Northern Europe. With a maximum circumference of 163 feet, moving it to a spot suited to the preferences of your leading diva might be a challenge. And the damn thing also weighs a solid 2500 tons. So the answer is “yes.” Muhammad must go to the mountain. If you need something smaller, consider Aruküla Rock, which at 20 feet in height and 115 feet around, would be a massive souvenir to take home. The third best-known Estonian boulder is called Kabelikivi (Chapel Rock), and it’s hard by central Tallinn. Sunk halfway into the earth, it is a literal metaphor for subtext, something many moviemakers yearn to master. So there are all kinds of rocks of every shape in Estonia. Whatever size stones your superhero needs to crush the villain, you’ll find everything you need in this contemporary European country with its ancient history. Things tend to happen fast in Estonia, so if you’re on a tight schedule (and need a few gargantuan boulders to make that Thor moment feel right), be sure to find us on the map before your competition does.