Built between 1885 and 1895, the five green onion-domed towers of Pühtitsa Convent, crowning Kuremäe (Crane Mountain), are visible for miles. Murals by the convent gate depict Mary, the Mother of Jesus, to whom the complex is dedicated. The community of Russian Orthodox nuns work the surrounding land and are self-sufficient; they will give tours to visitors for a small fee. Otherwise you're welcome to enter the gate and visit the church as long as you're dressed modestly.
Local lore has it that in the 16th century, Mary, the Mother of Jesus, appeared to a shepherd in an oak grove in these parts (conveniently echoing pre-Christian Estonian beliefs in divine beings living in holy groves). An icon of the Dormition of the Mother of God was subsequently found under one of the oaks; it now belongs to the convent, which has become a place of pilgrimage for believers. There is also a revered 'holy spring' here that is said to never freeze.
Twenty-two kilometres south of Jõhvi, on the road to Vasknarva on the northern shore of Lake Peipsi, Kuremäe also houses a hostel (single/double rooms €40/45) and cafe, catering to pilgrims. To get here by bus, you'll usually need to transfer at Jõhvi or Kohtla-Järve, although there are two direct buses per week from Tallinn (€9, 3¾ hours) and Rakvere (€7, 1¾ hours).
