Tartu – Estonia’s University Town
Located inland, in the heart of old Livonia, Tartu is a university town like no other. The oldest city in the Baltics, it has lost much of its historic core to the ravages of war and Soviet town planning, yet what remains is surely impressive. The city was better known as its German name of Dorpat (Latin: Tarbatum), eventually becoming Tartu.
Table of Contents
Geography
Located in south-eastern Estonia, on the banks of the Emajõgi river, Tartu is surrounded by lakes, farmland and an abundance of arable farmland.
It is worth noting that you the area along the river makes for a lovely stroll. You will find Botanical Garden of the University of Tartu and a monument and an Armenian-Estonian friendship monument to Khachatur Abovian, a writer that studied in Tartu and is credited as as the founder of the modern Eastern Armenian language. He is best known for his novel Wounds of Armenia.
History
Tribal Era
Like most of the Baltic states, Estonia was occupied by the balts as well as the proto-finnic tribes that would one day become the Estonians. The settlement established by these people is as old as the 5th century A.D, with a wooden fortification in the 7th. It would become a major trading town in the 10th century wing the attention of the Kievan Rus who would occupy it from 1030-1061, when it was burned down by Sosols, an Estonian tribe. The Estonians rebuilt the castle land engaged in warfare with the Russians (Specifically the states of Novgorod and Pskov) who would capture the town several times.
Northern Crusades
The town would become an object of interest in the Northern crusades, when German knights would pour into Livonia via Riga on the goal of converting and subjugating the pagan Baltic tribes. It would fall to the Livonian Brothers of the Sword (later the Livonian Order) during the 13th century. It was then competed for by the Knights, Russia (Pskov, Novgorod) and the Estonians. Under the Germans, the city became an important trading center, and eventually a semi-independent dependency of the order called the Bishopric of Dorpat. It was again destroyed by Russia in 1262 but they could not take the fortress. The Livonian Knights would be merged into the Teutonic Order but retained a certain level of independence as part of the Livonian Order. The city would become part of the Hanseatic Trading league.
Polish and Swedish Rule
Ivan the Terrible invaded Tartu during the course of the Livonian War and by its end the territory ended up in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Later in the Polish–Swedish War the town would be contested falling at the wars start to Charles IX of Sweden before being recaptured by Poland and again taken by Sweden. The Swedes would found the university bearing the towns name in 1632. The Swedes are mostly seen as a benevolent occupier by the native Estonians. Whereas the Germans and Russians oppressed the local Balts, the Swedish saw things differently. Although imperfect, their rule saw many social upheavals that were beneficial to the society at large outside the usual Germanic elite (Whom the Russians used against the Poles and the Swedes later on. In exchange the Germans to retain and even expand their powers).
Note: Until the advent of an independent Estonia, the bourgeoisie remained almost exclusively German and 90% of the university enrolment was German.
Russian Occupation
In 1704 the town was taken by Russia, in the very presence of Peter the Great. Much of the old town was destroyed and the fortifications were in taters. What was left of the town was torn down, valuables looted and all the citizens deported to Russia. What remained of the city would be destroyed by the Great Fire of Tartu in 1775, the city would be rebuilt in neoclassical style thereafter.
In the late 19th century, Tartu developed as an intellectual hub for the Estonian Romantic Revival Estonia’s first song festival in 1869. Vanemuine, the first national theatre, was established in 1870. Tartu was also the setting for the foundation of the Society of Estonian Writers in 1872.
Independence, World Wars and the Soviet Union
The Estonian revival worried Russian officials and they began the Russify the Baltic Region. In 1893, the city was officially renamed Yuryev and from 1895 on Russian become the compulsory language of education in Tartu. That assent enough for the despotic Russians and in 1918 of the university property was relocated to Voronezh. Tartu was occupied by the German army later that year.
During the Estonian War of Independence the university of Tartu was re-opened as an Estonian language university on 1 December 1919. In 1920, the Treaty of Tartu between Russia and Sweden was completed here. The interbellum period was good for the development of the city and its Estonian institutions. The Baltic States were invaded by the USSR before the start of the Second World War. Before the Second World War, Adolf Hitler called the Baltic Germans to the motherland ending centuries of German life in the region.
In 1941, during the Second World War, Germany invaded Russia. The retreating Soviets destroyed most the city and the strategic kivisild, a magnificent stone bridge built by Catherine II that was a the symbol of the city. The retreating German army finished the job in 1944. The Soviets tore down much of the ruins, explaining why much of this city feels so spread out!
After the war, the Soviets built one of the largest military airbases in Eastern Europe. It was home strategic bombers, that carried nuclear bombs hence Tartu was made into a “closed town”, This meant that access to foreigner was prohibited.
After independence, Tartu was able to begin rebuilding its old town and the economy has picked out outside of the defence section that left with the removal of the Soviets.
What to do in Tartu!
I stayed in a cute hostel on the western side of town. Due to the fact that it was summer the place was practically empty. I enjoyed much of the retro touches around the hostel such as old utilities like the old school 1950’s telephone by the hostel door. made myself a quick sandwich, downed a beer or two and took the longest nap of my life. I can sleep on flights and after days of partying in Tallinn I was due for a rest!
The hostel was located in a rather industrial area of the old town and during my first walk into the old town I could see an old locomotive rusting away by the train tracks.
The Old Town
The old town of Tartue lies between Toome Hill and the river itself. It is the most scenic part of the city composed of cobblestone streets, masonry buildings, faculty buildings and beautiful assorted neoclassical structures.
One of the main reference point is the medieval St. John’s Church, a 14th century church with a distinctive square tower. This building was rebuilt after the Great Norther War and did require a great deal of reconstruction after the Second World War. Outside the church you will find over 200 terracotta figurines (and there was probably more before). They are rumoured to be modelled after the citizens of the town. You will find the toy museum nearby as well as the Tartu St. Virgin Mary’s Dormition cathedral – this church is not open to the public so I will refrain from discussing it.
One of the more iconic buildings in the old town is the University of Tartu Art Museum. Its Neoclasical facade is probably the most iconic building built in this style. The interior is in Pompeian-style and mostly features peices from antiquity. It is worth a look inside!
The main part of the old town is built around the Town Hall Square. At the northern end of the square, towards the river, Tartu Art Museum. This strange leaning building is home to a modern collection of Estonian works.
There are quite a few restaurants here, built into the neoclassical homes on both sides of the iconic pink town hall and extending their terraces onto the square itself. The neoclassical building was erected after the Great fire of Tartu, in 1789.
In front of the colourful town hall you will found a playful waterfront of two youths embracing each other!
Before you leave the Old Town make sure to catch the statue of Oscar Wilde and Eduard Vilde, the famous Estonian sculptor. Although Wild never set foot in Tartu, this is just another one of these playful interpretations found in Tartu picturing two great men chatting over their respective works. It is meant to be set in the year 1890, when they were active in their endeavours.
Toome Hill (Toomemagi)
Overlooking the town of Tartu is Toome Hill, today Toomemagi Park. At one point this was the site of the episcopal castle and the medieval old town destroyed during the centuries of war. With nothing left of the old town but grazing land, Emperor Paul I of Russia would donate the land to the University of Tartu. The university in turn would turn it into a park for the citizen of the city.
The Park can be accessed from the Old Town via a boulevard running under the Angel’s Bridge, a 1836 monument to the university’s first rector.
Today, the top of the hill is home to several of the universities old institution. This includes the anatomical theater, a beautiful building that seems like a cross between baroque roofs and a neoclassical facade.
You will also find the old university observatory, a building that seems like it built more like a Germanic lighthouse!
The parks is filled with statues and monuments accumulated over the centuries. This includes a statue of Karl Ernst von Baer, a Baltic German scientist known for his attic meteorological work among other things. He was one on Estonia’s national currency before the adoption of the euro. Other statues include Kristjan Jaak Peterson an Estonian poet, Nikolay Ivanovich Pirogov a Russian doctor and the Estonian writer Friedrich Robert Faehlmann. The latter is best known for his work Kalevipoeg, the estonian national epic.
The most important monument on the hill, is one of the few reminders of medieval Tartu. Constructed in Dorpat during the 13th century, the hulking ruin looks down over the modern town below. But a ruin, the elegant Gothic arches offers those who would stroll though the building interesting view of the structures bones. On the west side of the cathedral, the one with the two former towers one can climb the stairs for a view of the structure from above. These were once prominent in the skyline but the structure was reinforced, the two towers were reduced from 66 meters to 22 meters and made into a platform for cannon during the 18th century, thus making it as mini fortress.
The church got into its ruinous state starting with the loss of its importance during the protestant reformation as after the deportation to Russia of the last Roman Catholic Bishop of Dorpat it was abandoned (yet still stood proudly). It was damaged during the Livonian War by Russian troops devastated the city. The Poles planned on restoring the building but never had a chance due to the Polish-Swedish War. In 1624 the damage was aggravated by way of a massive fire and the Swedes had no intention on restoring the building. Despite this the townspeople continued to bury their dead in the graveyard while using the main body of the church served as a barn.
On the east side you will find the a fully enclosed and restored section housing the University Museum. Do make sure you get to see the exposed crypt section showing some of the buried bones.
Finally, take a walk around the park perimeter, it will provide you with a fantastic view of the old town!
Suburbs and Outskirts
On the north-west side of the city you will find the masonry building housing the Abert le Coq beer museum and factory. This popular Estonian brew many not be one of my favorites (as evidenced in my Baltic Brews Post). The beer (with a funny name 😉 ) is named after German merchant and famed archeologist Albert von Le Coq. He is known for his work in Turpan in Central Asia. The distinctive, “castle like”, round tower of the brewery is indicative of its age, brewing since the 19th century. Inside you will aso find fully flesh out displays on the history of the brewery. Enjoy a few cold ones afterwards!
The AHHAA Science Centre is located just east of the old town. Founded in 1997, it is a very modern building with a distinctive look. It houses a science center and a planetarium.
More importantly, located kilometers north of the city, is the Raadi museum. Built on the ruins of a German manor destroyed during the Second World War, it is now also the home of the Estonian national museum, a modern building replacing the one destroyed in the war. Originally set up in 1909, it has been re-imagined and includes displays of traditional folklore, costumes and all things culture.
In the soutern end of the city, towards the rail yard. You will find the fantastic University of Tartu, Museum of Natural History, Estonian Literary Museum, the Estonian Print & Paper Museum and the spooky KGB Cells Museum. You will also find the Museum of the Estonian National Defence College, sso there is a lot to see!
Conclusion
Tartu may be best visited during the school year, but offers travellers things to do and see at any time of year. Kick back, relax and enjoy this students town!
