Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana


The Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana was instituted by the President of Estonia, Lennart Meri, in 1995 to honour the independence of the Estonian state.
The Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana is bestowed upon the President of the Republic. Presidents of the Republic who have ceased to hold office keep the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana. The Collar of the Order was used de facto as the badge of office of the President of the Republic, since Soviet authorities took the original Presidential collar, that of the Order of the National Coat of Arms, out of Estonia after the Soviet occupation of Estonia in 1940; it remains in the Kremlin in Moscow. A new collar of that order was made in 2008.
The Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana is also given as a decoration of the highest class to foreigners who have rendered special services to the Republic of Estonia. As such it is the highest and most distinguished order granted by Estonia to non-Estonian citizens.

Classes

The Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana comprises six classes:
The crosses and shields of all the classes of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana have the same design and are of the same size.
The blue colour tone of the moiré ribands belonging to the decorations of all the classes of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana is determined according to the international PANTONE colour-table as 300 C.

Gallery

Notable recipients

Recipients of the Collar

The recipients are :

Estonian presidents

Recipients of the First Class

The recipients are :

Former foreign heads of state and government

These decorations are awarded for targeted reasons :

Consorts of foreign heads of state and royalties

Presidents of Parliament, Prime Ministers, Foreign Ministers, Ambassadors and other High Officials

High Personalities

Recipients of the Fourth Class