Sinimäed Hills

The Blue Mountains ( _et. Sinimäed or Vaivara Sinimäed) are three linked hills in northeastern Estonia. The Blue Mountains which are aligned west-east, consist of "Tornimägi", "Põrguaugu mägi" (also known as Grenadier Mountain) and Pargimägi (also known as Lastekodumägi). They lie in Vaivara borough near the coastal town of Sillamäe in Ida-Viru County.

The Blue Mountains are gently sloping mounds rather than mountains.

The western hill, Tornimägi, where an outpost was located during the Great Northern War, is 69.9 metres tall.

During World War I, Pargimägi with its defensive structures was part of Saint Petersburg's preliminary defence line. The height of the hill is 85.2 metres.

The Blue Mountains saw fighting in 1919 in Estonian War of Independence.

Extensive defensive battles took place at the Blue Mountains towards the end of World War II. (see Battle of Narva - Battle of the Tannenbergstellung (1944)). After defending the Narva bridgehead against the Red Army for six months, the German fell back to the Tannenberg Defensive Line on the hills. The eastern hill was known as the Kinderheimhöhe (Orphanage Hill / Lastekodumägi), the centre was Grenadierhöhe (Grenadier Hill / Grenaderimägi) and the westernmost known as Liebhöhe or Love's Hill). There is a memorial site to commemorate the fallen on the hill of Põrgumägi.

References

* Ülo Kaevats et al. 1995. "Eesti Entsüklopeedia 8". Tallinn: Eesti Entsüklopeediakirjastus, ISBN 5-89900-003-1
* [http://www.loodusajakiri.ee/eesti_loodus/artikkel759_753.html Sõdadest räsitud Sinimäed] Eesti Loodus