Väike-Maarja () is a small borough () in Lääne-Viru County, Estonia. It is the administrative centre of Väike-Maarja Parish. The population of Väike-Maarja in January 2023 was 2,155 people.
Name Väike-Maarja was attested in historical sources as Weike-Maarja in 1826 and Wäikse-Maarja in 1883. It was known as Klein-Marien in German and as Nienkerken in Low German. The Estonian name Väike-Maarja and the German name Klein-Marien literally mean 'little Mary', and the Low German name Nienkerken means 'new church'. When the area of what is now Väike-Maarja was transferred from ancient Järva County to Virumaa County in the early 15th century, a new parish was established, referred to as the 'new church' (thus the Low German name Nienkerken). The new church was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and, because there was already a church dedicated to Mary in nearby Ambla in Järva County, the parish was referred to as Väike-Maarja 'little Mary' to distinguish it from the former. A similar differentiation was applied to the settlements of Suure-Jaani () and Väike-Jaani (, now Kolga-Jaani) in Viljandi County.
Church
Väike-Maarja Church was initially built as a fortress church.
Climate
Notable people
Georg Lurich (1876–1920), wrestler and strongman A. H. Tammsaare (1878–1940), writer, studied at Väike-Maarja parish school Alar Kotli (1904–1963), architect Maie Kalda (1929–2013), literary scholar and critic Priit Raik (1948–2008), composer, conductor and pedagogue Vello Jürna (1959–2007), opera singer Aile Asszonyi (born 1975), opera singer Kaido Höövelson (born 1984), sumo wrestler, known as Baruto Kaito
Gallery
References
External links Väike-Maarja Parish