Kesselaid or Kessu laid (Estonian lit. 'Kesse islet', German: Schildau; Swedish: Sköldö, Skjöldö lit. 'shield island') is a 1.7 km² (0.66 sq mi) islet in Estonia. It is located in the Baltic Sea, in the Suur Strait between the Estonian mainland and the island of Muhu. The islet's only (eponymous) village Kesse is administratively part of Muhu Parish, Saare County.^[1]

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Quick Facts Kesse, Country ...

Kesse
village
Kesse cliff on the northwestern coast of the islet
Kesselaid in the West Estonian archipelago.
Coordinates: 58°38′04″N 23°25′57″E
Country	Estonia
County	Saare County
Municipality	Muhu Parish
Area
• Total	1.7 km2 (0.7 sq mi)
Population
• Total	4
• Density	2.4/km2 (6.1/sq mi)

Close

With the highest point 15.6 m above sea level it is the highest islet of Estonia. It is also considered to be the country's geologically oldest islet, as it arose from the sea around 3000 BC.

Since 1938, the 7 to 8 m high cliffs of Kesselaid have been designated a nature reserve.^[2]

Kesselaid was first described in print in 1644 in the Swedish maritime book Een siö-book, som innehåller om siöfarten i Östersiön by Johan Månsson [sv]. Kesselaid has been inhabited mostly by ethnic Estonians for centuries. In 1807, most of its lands were sold to Jacob Friedrich von Helwig. Prior to World War II there were about 35 permanent residents on the island.^[3] As of 2017, it had a population of just 4 permanent residents.

Nowadays Kesselaid is partially used as summertime pasture and grazing land for cattle and goats. It has also become an excursion destination for nature tourists. On the island, 16 different species of orchid have been discovered.^[2] From the island of Muhu, wild boar and elk occasionally swim to Kesselaid.

A lighthouse was first built Kesselaid in 1885. The current, fully automated lighthouse was built in 1994.^[4]

• Map of Kesselaid
• Ruins of an old manor (built in early 1800s).
• Upper lighthouse
• Coastline

• List of islands of Estonia