Tartu[a] is the second largest city inEstonia afterTallinn. Tartu has a population of 97,759 (as of 2024).[3] It is 186 kilometres (116 miles) southeast of Tallinn and 245 kilometres (152 miles) northeast ofRiga, Latvia. Tartu lies on theEmajõgi river, which connects the two largest lakes in Estonia,Lake Võrtsjärv andLake Peipus. From the 13th century until the end of the 19th century, Tartu was known in most of the world by variants of its historical nameDorpat.
Aerial view ofToomemägi, Tartu cathedral and Tartu downtown
It is thought that the name derives from the word foraurochs,tarvas.[13] SinceEstonia became an independent country in 1918, the Estonian-languageTartu (Estonian pronunciation:[ˈtɑrtˑu]), alternativeSouth Estonian spelling:Tarto) has been the only name in official use but throughout its history there have also been various names for it in other languages. Most of them derive ultimately from the earliest attested form, the EstonianTarbatu. In German,Swedish andPolish the town has been known, and up until the 20th century was sometimes referred to, asDorpatⓘ, a variant ofTarbatu. In Russian the city has been known asЮрьев (Yur′yev, afterYuri, thebaptismal name of grand princeYaroslav I the Wise) and asДерпт (Derpt, from theLow German variant ofDorpat). Similarly the city has been known asTērbata inLatvian, andFinnish speakers use the toponymTartto.Tartu lies on the Emajõgi River, whose name literally means 'mother river' in Estonian. In Latvian, the name ofEmajõgi river isMētra.[14] Therefore, Tartu's historical unofficial name inLatvian is Mētraine.[15] Historically, Tartu was the main center for Latvian academic education, which is the reason why the name of the city used to be Latvianized.
Archaeological evidence of the first permanent settlement on the site of modern Tartu dates to as early as the 5th century AD.[16][17] By the 7th century, local inhabitants had built a wooden fortification on the east side ofToome Hill (Toomemägi).[17] Over the next centuries the settlement grew, and around 9th–10th centuries became an inland trading center.[18]
The first documented records of the area were made by later mediaeval chroniclers who described the events of early-11th-centuryKievan Rus'. According to thePrimary Chronicle (PVL) andSofia First Chronicle (SPL),Yaroslav the Wise,Grand Prince of Kiev, invaded the region of Tartu inc. 1030, and after defeating theChud', built his own fort there, and named itYuryev.[17][19] Tartu may have remained under Kievan Rus' control until 1061, when, according to the SPL, theYuryev fort was burned down bySosols[20] (probablyOeselians,Sackalians, or another Estonian tribe).[21] Soon afterwards the fort was rebuilt by locals. In the 12th century, local Ungannians on one side and troops from the neighbouringNovgorod Republic on the other side repeatedly raided each other. In those campaigns, the invaders were reportedly able to capture Tartu in 1133 or 1134, and in the winter of 1191–1192, however these temporary captures are not known to have brought any lasting territorial changes.[18]
During the period ofNorthern Crusades in the beginning of the 13th century the fort ofTarbatu (orTharbata) was captured by the crusadingTeutonic knights — also known as theBrothers of the Sword — and recaptured by Estonians on several occasions. In 1224, after the princes ofNovgorod andPskov had sent additional troops led by princeVyachko ofKukenois to aid the Estonian defenders of the fort, it wasbesieged and conquered for one last time by the Teutonic crusaders.[22] Subsequently, known as Dorpat (Latin:Tarbatum), Tartu became a commercial centre of considerable importance during the laterMiddle Ages and the capital of the semi-independentBishopric of Dorpat.
In 1262 the army of princeDmitri of Pereslavl launched an assault on Dorpat, capturing and destroying the town. His troops did not manage to capture the bishop's fortress on Toome Hill. The event was recorded both in subsequent German andOld East Slavic chronicles, which also provided the first record of a settlement ofGerman merchants and artisans which had arisen alongside the bishop's fortress.
In medieval times, after the Livonian Order was subsumed into theTeutonic Knights in 1236, the town became an important trading city. In the 1280s Dorpat joined theHanseatic League.
In 1558, tsarIvan the Terrible invaded Tartu beginning theLivonian War. Forces under the command of Pyotr Shuiski encircled the town and began the heavy bombardment. In light of this and without any prospect of external help the town surrendered. The local bishop was imprisoned in Moscow, which effectively ended the period of local self-government.Ivan Mikhailovich Viskovatyi, a leading diplomat and archivist of diplomatic records during Ivan the Terrible's reign, argued that Tartu's "founding" by Ancient Rus' justified Russia's contemporary territorial claims to the region.[23] In the effect of theTruce of Jam Zapolski of 1582, the city along with southern regions ofLivonian Confederation became part of thePolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1598 it became the capital of theDorpat Voivodeship of theDuchy of Livonia. AJesuit grammar school "Gymnasium Dorpatense" was established in 1583. In addition, a translators' seminary was organized in Tartu and the city received its red and white flag from the Polish kingStephen Báthory.[citation needed]
The activities of both the grammar school and the seminary were stopped by thePolish–Swedish War. Already in late 1600 the forces ofCharles IX of Sweden besieged the city defended by threebanners ofreiters and the city's burghers. Despite repeated assaults, the Swedes could not enter the city. Finally in 1601 Capt. Hermann Wrangel switched sides, assaulted thecastellan and opened the gates for the Swedish forces. The town was retaken by Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth on 13 April 1603 following a brief siege led byhetmanJan Karol Chodkiewicz; roughly 1000 Swedish soldiers surrendered and were escorted toTallinn.
In 1704 the town was taken by the Russian army in the presence of Tsar Peter the Great himself. As a result, around a quarter of the town and much of the fortifications were damaged. In 1708 the remainder of the fortifications and houses, including the remains of bishops castle, were blown up, all movable property was looted and all citizens were deported to Russia. With theTreaty of Nystad in 1721, the city became part of theRussian Empire and was known asDerpt. Fires in the 18th century destroyed much of the medieval architecture, theGreat Fire of Tartu in 1775 removed most of the buildings in the centre. The city was rebuilt alongLate Baroque andNeoclassical lines including theTartu Town Hall which was built between 1782 and 1789.[24] In 1783 the city became the centre of Derptuyezd within theGovernorate of Livonia.
During the second half of the 19th century, Tartu was the cultural centre for Estonians in the era ofRomantic nationalism. The city hosted Estonia's firstsong 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.
In 1893, the city was officially retitled to the ancient Russian nameYuryev. The university was subsequentlyrussified from 1895 on with the introduction of compulsory Russian in teaching. Much of the university property was relocated toVoronezh in 1918 and during the German occupation, the university worked under the name Landesuniversität Dorpat. During theEstonian War of Independence the university of Tartu was re-opened as an Estonian language university on 1 December 1919.
With Estonian independence after World War I, the city officially became known by the Estonian nameTartu. At the end of the 1918–1920Estonian War of Independence following World War I, a peace treaty between theBolshevikRussia and Estonia was signed on 2 February 1920 in Tartu (Treaty of Tartu). With the treaty,Soviet Russia renounced territorial claims to Estonia "for all time".
During World War II, theStalinist Soviet Union invaded and occupied Estonia and Tartu in June 1940. Large parts of the city as well as the historicalKivisild ("Stone bridge", built in 1776–1778) over the Emajõgi river were destroyed by the retreating Soviet Army, partly in 1941 and almost completely in 1944 by the then retreating German Army. Already heavily damaged, Tartu was repeatedly bombed by the Soviet air forces on 27 January 1943, on 26 February 1944, on 7–8 March 1944, and on 25–26 March 1944. After the war ended, much of the city's historic centre was left in ruins. Even the less damaged buildings in entire city blocks were demolished by the Soviet occupation authorities and large swathes of previously residential areas were turned into parks and parking lots.
After the war, the Soviet authorities declared Tartu a "closed town for foreigners", as an airbase for bombers was constructed onRaadi Airfield, in the northeast outskirts of the city. It was one of the largest military airbases in the former Eastern Bloc and housed strategic bombers carrying nuclear bombs. On one end of an older strip of the runway, the new building ofEstonian National Museum was built.
Tartu Airport was opened in the south of the city in 1946. Besides the airportEstonian Aviation Academy was established in 1993. Privately ownedEstonian Aviation Museum, which is 5 km to the East of the airport (7 km by car), was opened to the public in 2002.During the 1944–1991 Soviet occupation the population of Tartu almost doubled from 57,000 to above 100,000 — due to mass immigration from Russia and other areas of the former Soviet Union, in large part because of the military airbase.
AHHAA Science Centre with Tigutorn visible in the background
Since Estonia regained its independence in 1991, the old town centre has been renovated. Notably,St. John's Church, in ruins since World War II, has been restored. Many new commercial and business buildings have been erected (Tartu Kaubamaja,Tasku,Emajõe kaubanduskeskus,Lõunakeskus,Kvartal, etc.). The highest residential building and local landmarkTigutorn was opened in 2008.
TheAHHAA science centre relocated to a new building in 2011 and theEstonian National Museum's new main building opened in 2016.
Tartu lies within the temperatehumid continental climate zone (Dfb). The climate is rather mild considering the high latitude, largely due to the proximity of the Baltic Sea and warm airflows from the Atlantic. Nevertheless, continental influence can be felt on hot summer days and cold spells in winter, when the temperature can occasionally (but rarely) drop below −30 °C (−22 °F). Generally, summers are warm and winters are cold.
The Tartu weather station is located in Tõravere village, which is about 20 kilometers from the city, so the actual temperature in the city may be slightly warmer than the official average temperatures.
Climate data for Tartu (Tõravere) normals 1991–2020, extremes 1865–present
Mostly known as a university town, Tartu is also a site of heavy industry. The food industry has traditionally been important for the town's economy and some bigger companies in the field includeA. Le Coq,Tartu Mill andSalvest.Kroonpress is one of the leading printing press companies in the Baltics.
At the beginning of the 21st century, manyICT enterprises and other high-tech companies have taken a foothold in Tartu. Notable examples includePlaytech Estonia,Nortal (formerly Webmedia Group),ZeroTurnaround, Tarkon, Reach-U and Raintree Estonia.Skype has an office in Tartu. The university is one of the largest employers, which explains the large proportion of highly skilled professionals – researchers, professors, doctors, andTartu University Clinic has been considered the largest employer of Tartu.[35]
The city is served byTartu Airport. The distance to Estonia's "summer holiday capital",Pärnu (in the western Estonia) is 176 kilometres (109 miles) and the fastest route there by road is throughViljandi andKilingi-Nõmme. Tartu is connected to Riga inLatvia as well as Tallinn and other Estonian towns by many bus and train routes.
Tartu's historic population is presented in the following table, based on data from official censuses since 1881[36] and Estonian Statistical Office.[37] Note that the data up to 2011 is not directly comparable to the most recent numbers, as the methodology of compiling population statistics has changed.[38]
The city is best known for being home to theUniversity of Tartu (formerly known as the University of Dorpat; German:Universität Dorpat), founded under KingGustavus Adolphus of Sweden in 1632.[1] Mainly for this reason, Tartu is also – tongue-in-cheek – known as "Athens of the Emajõgi" or as "Heidelberg of the North".
Tartu has been an intellectual centre of both Estonia and the Baltic countries for several centuries. Scholars hailing from Tartu include the pioneer of embryologyKarl Ernst von Baer, a pioneer of animal behaviour studiesJakob von Uexküll, and a cultural theorist and semioticianJuri Lotman.Johann Friedrich von Eschscholtz, a Baltic German physician, naturalist, and entomologist, was born in Tartu. He was one of the earliest scientific explorers of the Pacific region, making significant collections of flora and fauna in Alaska, California, and Hawaii. Nobel Chemistry Prize laureateWilhelm Ostwald studied and worked in Tartu. TheTartu School is one of the leading scientific schools insemiotics.
The architecture and city planning of historical Tartu mainly go back to the pre-independence period, with Germans forming the upper and middle classes of society, and therefore contributing many architects, professors and local politicians.
Most notable are the oldLutheranSt. John's Church (Estonian:Jaani Kirik, German:Johanneskirche), the 18th-centurytown hall, the university building, ruins of the 13th-centurycathedral, the botanical gardens, the main shopping street, many buildings around the town hall square andBarclay Square.
Parts of the medieval city wall are preserved in Lai Street and Vabaduse Street.
The historical slum area called Supilinn (Soup Town) is located on the bank of river Emajõgi, near the town centre and is regarded as one of the few surviving "poor" neighbourhoods of 19th-century Europe. At the moment Supilinn is being rapidly renovated, undergoing a slow transformation from the historic slum into a prestigious high-class neighborhood. The active community embodied by the Supilinn Society is committed to preserving the heritage.
The Second World War destroyed large parts of the city centre and during the Soviet occupation, many new buildings were erected – notably the new Vanemuine Theater. The effects of the war are still witnessed by the relative abundance of parks and greenery in the historic centre. Typical Soviet-style neighbourhoods of blocks of high-rise flats were built between World War II and the restoration of Estonian independence in 1991, the largest such district beingAnnelinn.
Presently, Tartu is also known for several modern buildings of the "steel, concrete and glass" variation, but has managed to retain a mix of old and new buildings in the centre of town. Notable examples include the Tigutorn Tower and the Emajõe Centre, both built during the current period of independence; Tartu's tallest and second tallest towers, respectively. Tartu's large student population means that it has a comparatively thriving nightlife, with many nightclubs, bars, and restaurants, including the world's highest-ceiling pub, in the historicGunpowder Cellar of Tartu.
Annually, in the summer, Tartu hosts the Hanseatic Days festival (Estonian:Hansapäevad) to celebrate its Hanseatic heritage. The festival includes events such as handicraft markets, historic workshops and jousting tournaments.
Tartu has a professional volleyball club,Bigbank Tartu, as well as the handball team, the Tartu Ülikool/Glassdrive, which plays in the second division of Estonian handball.
^abMäesalu, Ain; Vissak, Rünno (2005)."Muinas- ja keskaeg". In Pullerits, Heivi (ed.).Tartu. Ajalugu ja kultuurilugu (in Estonian). Ilmamaa. pp. 16–18.ISBN9789949131525.Archived from the original on 14 March 2023. Retrieved13 January 2020.
^Anti Selart,Ivar Leimus, Linda Kaljundi,Heiki Valk.Ristiretked ja vallutussõjad 13. sajandi Liivimaal, in "Eesti ajalugu II. Eesti keskaeg." Editor Anti Selart. Tartu 2012. Pp. 52—53
^Bobrick, Benson.Fearful Majesty: The Life and Reign of Ivan the Terrible. Putnam. p. 169.
^Eesti Statistika : kuukiri 1942-03/04 (in German and Estonian). Tallinn: Riigi Statistika Keskbüroo. 1942. pp. 66–67.Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved6 May 2023.
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