Tartu Old Town (Estonian : Tartu vanalinn) is the oldest part of Tartu, Estonia.
The centre of the old town is Raekoja plats.
In 1775 the Great Fire of Tartu occured and almost all infrastructure was destroyed. Today's old town consists of mainly buildings which are built from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. [1]
The old town is protected via Tartu heritage conservation area (Estonian : Tartu muinsuskaitseala). [2]
Tartu is the second largest city of Estonia, after Estonia's political and financial capital Tallinn. It is situated 186 kilometres southeast of Tallinn and 245 kilometres northeast of Riga, the capital of Latvia. The distance to Estonia's summer holiday capital Pärnu in the west is 176 kilometres and the fastest route there by car is through Viljandi and Kilingi-Nõmme. Tartu lies on the Emajõgi, which connects the two largest lakes of Estonia, Lake Võrtsjärv and Lake Peipus. The city is served by Tartu Airport.
The University of Tartu is a university in the city of Tartu in Estonia. It is the national university of Estonia, and the only classical university in the country, and also the biggest and most prestigious university in Estonia. It was founded under the name of Academia Gustaviana in 1632 by Baron Johan Skytte, the Governor- General (1629–1634) of Swedish Livonia, Ingria and Karelia, with the required ratification provided by his long-time friend and former student – from age 7 –, King Gustavus Adolphus, shortly before the king's death on 6 November in the Battle of Lützen (1632), during the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648).
Viljandi is a town and municipality in southern Estonia with a population of 17,407 in 2019. It is the capital of Viljandi County and is geographically located between two major Estonian cities, Pärnu and Tartu. The town was first mentioned in 1283, upon being granted its town charter by Wilhelm von Endorpe. The town became a member of the Hanseatic League at the beginning of the 14th century, and is one of five Estonian towns and cities in the league. The once influential Estonian newspaper Sakala was founded in Viljandi in 1878.
Narva is a municipality and city in Estonia. It is located in Ida-Viru County, at the eastern extreme point of Estonia, at the Russian border, on the Narva River which drains Lake Peipus. The city of Narva is the country's third largest after Tallinn and Tartu.
Pärnu is the fourth largest city in Estonia. Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia, is 128 kilometres (80 mi) north of Pärnu, and Tartu, Estonia's second largest city, is 176 kilometres (109 mi) east of Pärnu. Located in southwestern Estonia on the coast of Pärnu Bay, an inlet of the Gulf of Riga in the Baltic Sea. It is a popular summer holiday resort with many hotels, restaurants, and large beaches. The Pärnu River flows through the city and drains into the Gulf of Riga. The city was served by Pärnu Airport.
Toompea is a limestone hill in the central part of the city of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. The hill is an oblong tableland, which measures about 400 by 250 metres, has an area of 7 hectares and is about 20–30 metres higher than the surrounding areas. In folklore the hill is known as the tumulus mound over the grave of Kalev, erected in his memory by his grieving wife.
Valga is a town in southern Estonia and the capital of Valga County. Until their separation in 1920, Valga and the town of Valka in northern Latvia were one town. They are now twin-towns. The area of Valga is 16.5 square kilometres and that of Valka is 14.2 km2 (5.5 sq mi). Their populations are respectively 12,261 and 6,164. On 21 December 2007 all border-crossing points were removed and roads and fences opened between the two countries with both countries joining the Schengen Agreement.
Tartu County, or Tartumaa, is one of 15 counties of Estonia.
Tapa is a town in Tapa Parish, Lääne-Viru County, Estonia. Located at the junction of the country's Tallinn–Narva (west–east) and Tallinn–Tartu–Valga (north–south) railway lines, it is an important centre of transit for freight as well as rail passengers. A home to soldiers since the 1930s, Tapa also plays an important role in training young men and women in the Estonian Defense Forces. The Valgejõgi River passes Tapa on its northeastern side.
Jõgeva is a small town in Estonia with a population of around 6000 people. It is the capital of Jõgeva Parish and Jõgeva County.
Türi is a town in Järva County, Estonia. It is the administrative centre of Türi Parish. Since 2000, Türi is known as the "spring capital" of Estonia. It has a railway station on the Tallinn - Viljandi railway line operated by Elron.
Otepää is a town in Valga County, southern Estonia, it is the administrative centre of Otepää Parish. Otepää is a popular skiing resort, popularly known as the "winter capital" of Estonia. During the 2005–2006 season it became the site for FIS Cross-Country World Cup events.
Kesklinn is one of the 8 administrative districts of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. It is situated on the Tallinn Bay and bordered to the northwest by the district of Põhja-Tallinn, to the west by Kristiine, to the southwest by Nõmme, to the east by Lasnamäe and Pirita, and to the south by Rae Parish, beyond Lake Ülemiste. The island of Aegna, located in the Tallinn Bay, also falls within this administrative district. Kesklinn has an area of 30.6 km2 (11.8 sq mi) and a population of 57,731 ; population density is 1,886.6/km2 (4,886/sq mi).
This article covers the architecture of Estonia.
The Tartu offensive operation, also known as the Battle of Tartu and the Battle of Emajõgi was a campaign fought over southeastern Estonia in 1944. It took place on the Eastern Front during World War II between the Soviet 3rd Baltic Front and parts of the German Army Group North.
Tartu Cathedral, earlier also known as Dorpat Cathedral, is a former Catholic church in Tartu (Dorpat), Estonia. The building is now an imposing ruin overlooking the lower town. In the small part of it that has been renovated is now located the museum of the University of Tartu, which the university also uses for major receptions.
Kiidjärve is a village in Põlva Parish, Põlva County in southeastern Estonia. It's located about 9 km (6 mi) north of the town of Põlva and about 30 km (19 mi) southeast of the city of Tartu, by the Tartu–Pechory railway and the Ahja River. The village territory includes Saesaare Reservoir with hydroelectric power station and Valgesoo bog.
Uppsala House is one of the oldest wooden buildings in Tartu, Estonia. It is close to St John's Church in the northern part of the Old Town. The house was renovated in cooperation with Tartu's sister city of Uppsala in Sweden, and was operated as a five-bedroom guest house until 2010. Since then, it has served as the office of the Department of Public Relations of Tartu City Government.
Villa Tammekann is a residential building located in Tartu, Estonia, notable for being one of few private residences designed by the Finnish architect Alvar Aalto, his first design to be realised outside Finland, and the only one located in Estonia or anywhere in the Baltic states.
Tartu Science Park is a science park in Tartu, Estonia. The sciene park is founded in 1992, being the first science park in Baltics.