Kreenholm Thematic Tour

The double-terraced waterfall, which used to be the most powerful waterfall in Europe, is located on the Narva River, upstream from the city of Narva. Now the riverbed remains dry most of the time, water from the reservoir is released through locks only in high water season. Kreenholm Island is located between the two branches of the reiver. The famous Kreenholm Textile Factory was built on the shore of the waterfall in the 19th century and was the largest factory in the Russian Empire at that time. The Kreenholm industrial community, built around textile factory, was an excellent example of industrial architecture. The factory together with the residential and service buildings surrounding it, formed a town in a town. There was everything for Kreenholm workers: a school and a hospital to a post office, a police station, a prison, a kindergarten, a telegraph office, a hair salon, a clubhouse, a bathhouse, a market, a bakery, a washhouse, and a morgue, as well as two large churches.

By 1914, the Kreenholm textile factory was one of the largest textile enterprises in the world; it had no equal in Europe. The number of workers exceeded 10,500 people. And in Soviet times, in 1974, the number of Kreenholm employees reached its peak, about 12,000 people worked there.

We invite you to walk along the streets of the Kreenholm district and learn about the history of this amazing place, the events that have forever gone down in history, and the people whose fates were inextricably linked with Kreenholm.

Texts’ author: Katri Raik
Translation: Anastassia Tjazelova, Angelina Ivanova
Editors: Madis Tuuder, Silvi Seesmaa, Noora Mahmassani, Svetlana Zaytseva, Olga Smirnova

Photos: Angelina Ivanova

Old photos: Narva Museum

Kreenholm Thematic Tour has been developed in the framework of an international project named TExTOUR (1.01.2021 – 30.09.2024). The goal of the TExTOUR project is to improve the economic and social situation of 8 pilot regions with a rich cultural and historical heritage, one of which is the city of Narva and specifically the Kreenholm area, through the development of cultural tourism. The main partner in the project is the Spanish organization Fundación Santa María la Real.

TExTOUR project received a grant from the EU Horizon 2020 Program. The total project budget for the entire period and for all 17 partners is 3,950,468.75 €.

Narva partners are Narva Municipality, Department for Development and Economy and Narva Gate company. Contact person is Olga Smirnova, +372 35 99275, olga.smirnova@narva.ee

Text development was supported by Cultural Endowment of Estonia.