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Võru
Võru
22. july 2003
It is a small town in South-East of Estonia situated on the bank of lake Tamula.
Võru is situated on the shores of a beautiful lake called Tamula.
It was established on August 21, 1784, according to the wish of the Russian Empress Catherine II and by the order of Count G. Browne, the Governor General of Riga, in the place of the former Võru estate which had been obtained for 57 000 roubles.
Over the broad sheet of Tamula water you can see the Haanja Heights in the distance, with its two highest peaks of the Baltic countries – Suur Munamägi (318 m above the sea level) and Vällamägi. The park by the lake and the alley leading to the city are older than city itself. The uniqueness of the city is its simple, rectangularly crossing system of streets. The archaeological finds at Roosisaare, Villaküla and Kääpa suggest that the roots of the early settlements in the near vicinity date back thousands of years.
There are more lakes and alleys in the borders of the town. The Kubija quarter is unforgettably varied as the slopes of Haanja, the sandy pine forests of Nursi and the picturesque lakes of Kasaritsa reach it.
VÕRU TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE. Provides information on the city of Võru as well as Võru County in the Estonian, Finnish, English and Russian languages. Guided tours at request.
VÕRU BANK BUILDING - completed in 1939. It is one of the largest and attractive buildings erected during the pre-war-time of the Republic of Estonia. The facade is decorated with the bas-reliefs by sculptor A. Kaasik.
VÕRU ORTHODOX CHURCH - this baroque structure was planned by M. Schons, chief architect of the Livonian Province. The master carpenter was Johann Karl Otto, a resident of Võru. The church was completed in 1806 and named the Greatmartyr Catherine''s Church in honour of Catherine II. The building has a simple rectangular ground-planning, a sturdy western spire, a cupola-like ridge roof on the high tambour and arched windows in sham nishes.
The MEMORIAL for the "ESTONIA" SHIPWRECK in the city park is to commemorate the residents of Võru who perished in the shipwreck of the ferry "ESTONIA" on the stormy night of September 28, 1994. The monument by sculptor Mati Karmin was erected in 1996.
VÕRU BASIC SCHOOL No.1 - a one-time mansion and the first administrative building in the town. Since 1805 it has been a schoolhouse. From 1921-1939, it housed the Võru Teachers'' Seminar, the director of whom was an outstanding Estonian pedagogue Johannes Käis.
St.CATHERINE''S CHURCH - a Lutheran church. For the construction of the building Empress Catherine II donated 28 000 silver roubles. Consecration was held on July 24, 1793 and the church was named
St. Catherines Church. The classicist-style building is a one naved church with large arched blind windows. In the course of renovation in 1879, the spire received a new helmet and a clock with four faces. Supposedly the design of the church was made by architect Christoph Haberlandt. The altarpiece depicts Christ on the cross and is subject to protection by the state as a heritage of culture.
"KARMA" ANTIQUES is located in one of the city''s oldest brick-buildings, erected in the 19th century. In the pre-war period (before 1941) the building housed "Võru Pank", the smallest bank in Estonia, and in the post-war period a subsidiary of the Savings Bank of the Soviet Union. Since 1996 the building has been one of Estonia''s largest antique stores offering a copious selection of antiquities.
VÕRU COUNTY GOVERNMENT BUILDING - The building dates from 1938 and was designed specifically as an administrative building.
VÕRUMAA REGIONAL MUSEUM - Katariina 11, phone 21 939. Open Wed-Sun 11 - 18.
The Võrumaa Regional Museum, opened on February 10, 1983, is located in a section of the building that was designed specifically to house a museum. The permanent display provides a survey of the history of Võru County from the Stone Age up to present day. In the exhibition room shows of the museum''s collections, handicrafts and art are arranged.
MONUMENT for FR.R. KREUTZWALD, the author of the Estonian national epic "Kalevipoeg" - in the park on the shore of Lake Tamula. The designer of the monument is an outstanding Estonian sculptor Amandus Adamson. The bronze casting (the figure, the bas-reliefs and the characters) was made in Italy, the foundation for the monument was built of stones and concrete on site. The monument was opened on August 29, 1926. In 1988 the monument was placed on a concrete base.
Lake Tamula - an oval lake extending from east to west and covering 231 hectares has the average depth of 4.2 meters. The lake''s deepest spot lies to the north-east of its centre and is 7.5 meters. The shore closest to the town is a beach.
ROOSISAAR (Rose Island). The archaeological excavations on the north-eastern shore of Lake Tamula indicate that this was the location of a Stone Age settlement dating back as far as 5 000 years.
In 1998 a new stately suspension bridge was built here for pedestrians. From the bridge a beautiful view opens onto Lake Tamula and the city of Võru.
The previous BUILDING of the CITY PHARMACIST. The city drug-store, run by pharmacist Hendrik Mikheim was opened here in 1914. Today the city pharmacy is located on Vabaduse Street in a new building erected in 1999.
MEMORIAL MUSEUM of Fr.R. KREUTZWALD - Kreutzwaldi 31, Phone 21 798. Open Wed - Sun 11 - 18.
The museum is situated in one of the first buildings in the city (completed in 1793). Here Fr.R.Kreutzwald lived in 1833-1877, practicing as the city doctor. From 1881-1890 and 1899-1900 the building was the residence of the "Kannel" society, the first Estonian cultural society in Võru. In 1905 the building was a subsidiary of F.Karlson''s bookstore. In 1910 the house was bought by the Võru Artisans'' Assistance Society. After substantial renovation, on June 28, 1941, the building was opened to the public as a museum. After the war the museum was re-opened on November 12, 1944. Currently the museum''s total renovated memorial complex comprises 6 buildings, a large courtyard and a beautiful garden.
VÕRU CULTURAL CENTRE "KANNEL" - The building dates from 1964. In 1900 on the site of the present cultural centre, the building of the one-time "Kannel" society was opened. The society was established in 1881 and was the initiator of numerous cultural events in Võru.
Today the building is one of the centres of the city''s cultural life. The "Kannel" garden behind the building is the venue of annual festivals, open-air performances and concerts.
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