{
  "place_id": "kuressaare#8236_11249",
  "wikidata": "Q188179",
  "country": "EE",
  "local_name": "Kuressaare",
  "names": {
    "en": {
      "main": "Kuressaare",
      "why": "The Estonian Latin-script name, retained in English; no romanization is needed.",
      "alternatives": [
        {
          "name": "Arensburg",
          "why": "Historical German and Swedish name, common in older English Baltic writing."
        },
        {
          "name": "Arensbourg",
          "why": "Traditional French exonym, especially in older Baltic historical writing."
        },
        {
          "name": "Kingissepa",
          "why": "Soviet commemorative name, used from 1952 to 1988."
        }
      ]
    },
    "fr": {
      "main": "Kuressaare",
      "why": "Same form as in English; retained in the French reference entry checked.",
      "alternatives": [
        {
          "name": "Arensburg",
          "why": "German and Swedish historical spelling explicitly identified in the French entry."
        },
        {
          "name": "Arensbourg",
          "why": "Older French exonym explicitly given in French reference material; Kuressaare is the current main."
        },
        {
          "name": "Kingissepa",
          "why": "Former Soviet name for French historical searches, 1952–1988; distinct from the Russian town Kingisepp."
        }
      ]
    }
  },
  "about_en": "Kuressaare is the main town of Saaremaa island in Estonia, on the southern coast facing the Gulf of Riga. Its episcopal castle is one of the island's most prominent landmarks.",
  "about_fr": "",
  "certainty": "high",
  "notes": "The Soviet name Kingissepa was used from 1952 to 1988. Arensbourg is an older French exonym; Arensburg is German and Swedish. Do not confuse the former name with the Russian town Kingisepp.",
  "rank": 756,
  "slug": "kuressaare"
}