Former Soviet Airfield
Soup Neighborhood
Neighborhood where all of the streets are named after soup ingredients. Features charming old wooden houses.
Town Hall Square
The kissing students fountain is a symbol of Tartu.
KGB Museum
This nondescript building was known as the Gray House and was the headquarters of the Estonian KGB. It tells the story of how the prisoners were treated there, and some stories about the Estonian resistance heroes, the Forest Brothers. The museum is small and does not have a very big sign, so look carefully.
modern architecture
During the last decade, Tartu has seen several interesting pieces of modern architecture being built. They are well worth a visit and give an insight of how people in modern Tartu think and live, in addition to traditionally history-driven image of the city. Some of them are right in the city-centre. See Yellow markers on official Tartu Modern Architecture map: (http://www.tartu.ee/nyydi...). The map is in Estonian only, but selected images speak louder than words.
Churches
Roman Catholic Church
a beautiful neo-Historical redbrick building from 1899.
St. Peter's Church
a Neogothic Lutheran church from 1903, is built on the grounds of the first general Estonian song festival which took place in 1869.
St. Alexander`s Orthodox Church
A two-story church, designed by architect V. Lunski, with cupolas inspired by the Old Russian church architecture. The congregation was driven out 40 years ago. The church was reconsecrated in summer 2003.
Cathedral ruins
From the 13th century and were dedicated to apostles St. Peter and Paul. Today the choir part houses the Tartu University History Museum, and the towers are reconstructed to sightseeing platforms.
Uspensky Orthodox Church
an early classical church built in 1783 with typical Russian classical elements. It´s located on the same place as the St. Mary Magdalene Church of a Dominican cloister founded before 1300.
St. Paul's Church
An outstanding redbrick Finnish National Romanticist style building by the famous Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen.
St. John's Church
14th century church is famous for its thousands of medieval terracotta figures.
Other buildings
Gunpowder Cellar
dug into the side of the hill in 1767 as part of the complex of the bishopâs citadel. It was used as a gunpowder cellar until 1809. Until 1982 it served as a storage room for many different enterprises, and was later developed into a eating place. Today, the building hosts a bar/restaurant of the same name.
National Court
Construction of the building began in 1763 as military barracks. Onto its ruins was built the university hospital in 1808, which functioned until 1990. Since 1993, the national court is again in Tartu, which is Estoniaâs supreme judiciary court.
Aristocratic dwellings and former teachers' college
Barclay House
late 18th century building. Duchess Barclay bought the house in 1819 after the death of her husband, Barclay de Tolly. The longitudinal wall of the building toward the river was built on the basis of the old town wall, while the other side was built on a new foundation. This is why the house is now askew and is popularly called the Tower of Pisa.
Old Anatomical Theatre
One of the first buildings of the re-opened Tartu University which was built in 1803-1805 according to the drawings of university architect J. Krause. Today the visitors are offered an exhibition of the history of medicine with preparates.
Old Observatory
The observatory, designed by university architect J.W. Krause, was built at the beginning of the 19th century. Working place of many famous astronomers including Struve.
Small Building of the Vanemuine (former German) Theatre
A gorgeous Romanticist building
Catherine´s House
The Classicist style structure is built as a town palace in 1790 and houses nowadays Tartu City Museum. The building is popularly called Catherine´s House. The legend has it that Empress Catherine II made a short stay there. However, this legend is not true.
Bridges
Angel´s Bridge
built in the 19th century and spans Lossi Street.
Arched Bridge
Stands on the site of the original stone bridge of Tartu which was built in 1784 and blown up by the Soviets in WWII. This new bridge is only for pedestrians and allows you to do one of the most loved cultural activities of Tartu, walk over the top of the arch after a big night in the club. Just don't let the cops catch you.
Devil´s Bridge
Built in 1913 in honour of the 300th jubilee of tsarist Russiaâs Romanov Dynasty, which is memorialised on the bridge by the dates 1613-1913.
Parks and squares
Toome Hill
Many monuments, statues and historical buildings
Botanic Garden of the University of Tartu