Rummu carrier history

In the late 1930s, the quarry began to be excavated for open mining of limestone and Vasalemma marble. The latter is a specific kind of limestone with its structure and texture resembling that of marble.

During the Soviet era, until the 1990s, excavation was performed as hard labour by Murru and Rummu prisoners, who would excavate and process limestone from the water-drained quarry.

When pumping of water ceased, the quarry quickly filled with groundwater, forming a lake, immersing some of the utility buildings and machinery. Next to the lake is the Vasalemma spoil tip (slag heap). Over time, the spoil tip assumed a unique appearance through erosion by water.

The Rummu open-air prison was merged with the Murru prison in 2001, then in 2004 those were merged with the Harku women's prison. On 31 December 2012, all of these prisons closed permanently.