Kuressaare castle, built in the late 14th century, is considered one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses in Estonia. Since 1865, it has housed the Saaremaa museum, one of the oldest and most visited museums in the country, with a long tradition of preserving historic heritage and art collections, including the Saaremaa archive library.

The castle’s massive limestone walls, vaulted rooms and interconnected stone chambers create a remarkable setting, but they also make the implementation of a high-security fire alarm system particularly challenging, requiring careful planning and reliable solutions that respect the building’s architectural integrity.

Enhancing fire safety at Kuressaare castle required a modern wireless solution capable of protecting the Saaremaa museum while preserving the integrity of the historic structure. As cabling or any invasive installation was not permitted, the system had to integrate seamlessly into the castle’s medieval interiors and remain almost invisible to visitors. A major challenge arose from the castle’s construction itself: limestone walls over one meter thick, together with vaulted rooms and interconnected stone chambers, significantly restricted wireless signal transmission. This made precise planning essential, with the wireless sniffer tool brought on site to carry out detailed assessments of real signal behaviour and determine the optimal number and placement of wireless base stations, ensuring reliable coverage without compromising the authenticity of this unique heritage site.

Panasonic has demonstrated how high-end technology can safeguard even the most challenging historical environments. The addressable wireless fire alarm system met the project’s unique requirements, offering a reliable and aesthetically sensitive solution that supports the long-term safety and preservation of one of Estonia’s most significant cultural landmarks. Cost-effectiveness was achieved from installation by avoiding cabling and continued into maintenance by reducing costs through its long-life batteries.

The success of the installation highlights the importance of detailed planning and on-site assessment, both of which were essential in determining the number and optimal placement of each component. By combining technical precision with a heritage-sensitive approach, Panasonic enabled the museum to achieve modern fire safety without compromising the castle’s architectural integrity.

With proven customer satisfaction, this first phase will be followed by additional installations once ongoing renovations are completed.