Tapa, Estonia

Tapa
Central Tapa
Central Tapa
Motto: 
n/a
Tapa is located in Estonia
Tapa
Tapa
Location in Estonia
Coordinates: 59°16′N 25°57′E / 59.267°N 25.950°E / 59.267; 25.950
CountryEstonia
CountyLääne-Viru County
MunicipalityTapa Parish
Area
 • Total17.32 km2 (6.69 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Total5,168
 • Rank20th
 • Density300/km2 (770/sq mi)
Ethnicity
 • Estonians59.2%
 • Russians31%
 • other8.8%
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)

Tapa (German: Taps) is a town in Tapa Parish, Lääne-Viru County, Estonia, located at the junction of the country's TallinnNarva (west–east) and Tallinn–TartuValga (north–south) railway lines. Tapa has the Estonian Defense Forces nearby Keskpolügoon. The Valgejõgi River passes Tapa on its northeastern side. Tapa has been known as both a railway and a military town throughout its history.[2]

Tapa developed as a village in the 13th–14th centuries. It was first mentioned in 1482 and the Tapa knight manor (Taps) in 1629.[3] Tapa was officially recognized as a town in 1926. In October 2005, the town merged with the municipalities of Lehtse Parish, Saksi Parish, and Jäneda Parish to form Tapa Parish.

  1. ^ "Population by sex, age group and place of residence after the 2017 administrative reform, 1 January". Statistics Estonia. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
  2. ^ Harri Allandi, The Armoured Train Regiment's Base in Tapa in Words and Pictures: 1923-1940. Estonian:Tapal Paiknenud Soomusrongirügement Sõnas ja Pildis 1923-1940. Tapa, 2007.
  3. ^ "Tapa linn" (in Estonian). eestigiid.ee. Retrieved 12 May 2013.