Väike-Maarja

• Name — Väike-Maarja • Settlement Type — Small borough • Image Skyline — Väike-Maarja keskväljak G. Lurichi monumendiga.png • Image Caption — Väike-Maarja's central square with the Georg Lurich monument • Pushpin Map — Estonia • Pushpin Label Position — bottom • Pushpin Map Caption — Location in Estonia • Subdivision Type — Country • Subdivision Name — Estonia • Subdivision Type1 — County • Subdivision Name1 — Lääne-Viru County • Subdivision Type2 — Municipality • Subdivision Name2 — Väike-Maarja Parish • Population Total — 2005 • Population As Of — 01.01.2008 Väike-Maarja (Klein-Marien) is a small borough (alevik) in Lääne-Viru County, Estonia. It is the administrative centre of Väike-Maarja Parish. The population of Väike-Maarja in January 2023 was 2,155 people.

Väike-Maarja was attested in historical sources as Weike-Maarja in 1826 and Wäikse-Maarja in 1883. It was known as Klein-Marien in German and as Nienkerken in Low German. The Estonian name Väike-Maarja and the German name Klein-Marien literally mean 'little Mary', and the Low German name Nienkerken means 'new church'. When the area of what is now Väike-Maarja was transferred from ancient Järva County to Virumaa County in the early 15th century, a new parish was established, referred to as the 'new church' (thus the Low German name Nienkerken). The new church was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and, because there was already a church dedicated to Mary in nearby Ambla in Järva County, the parish was referred to as Väike-Maarja 'little Mary' to distinguish it from the former. A similar differentiation was applied to the settlements of Suure-Jaani (big John) and Väike-Jaani (little John, now Kolga-Jaani) in Viljandi County.

• Illustration — Väike-Maarja church Väike-Maarja Church was initially built as a fortress church.

• Georg Lurich (1876–1920), wrestler and strongman • A. H. Tammsaare (1878–1940), writer, studied at Väike-Maarja parish school • Alar Kotli (1904–1963), architect • Maie Kalda (1929–2013), literary scholar and critic • Priit Raik (1948–2008), composer, conductor and pedagogue • Vello Jürna (1959–2007), opera singer • Aile Asszonyi (born 1975), opera singer • Kaido Höövelson (born 1984), sumo wrestler, known as Baruto Kaito

• Illustration — Väike-Maarja society house • Illustration — Väike-Maarja, main street • Illustration — Monument to the poet Jakob Liiv • Illustration — Monument to the strongman and wrestler Georg Lurich