Võru city
Lake Tamula has always been important to the people living here. The dating of the archaeological material found at the Stone Age settlement site discovered on Roosisaare (Rose Island) on the shore of Lake Tamula in 1938 shows that people lived here nearly 5000 years ago. Items made of amber and bone which were found at the settlement show us that people back then had a strong sense of beauty. You can get to the site by crossing Roosisaare Suspension Bridge (built in 1998) which straddles Lake Tamula. This footbridge is one of the longest in Estonia.
The dome-shaped hillocks of the Haanja uplands and the forests of Võru County on the opposite shore of Lake Tamula appear to be blue and peek at you invitingly. You can walk around Lake Tamula and marvel at the beautiful views of the lake, Võru township and the charming landscape of Võru County filled with its dome-shaped hillocks. Lake Tamula with its clean water simply invites you to swim. Its beautiful sandy beach is actually ranked the third best beach in Estonia. People who enjoy taking walks will find a new favourite place on the promenade with its exciting greenery and design. Here you can find the sculpture Elujõud /Vitality/ (P. Leinbock, 2009) which symbolises the perseverance and duration of life. Võru City Park, which has been on the shore of Lake Tamula since the 1830s, is named after Kreutzwald. Here you can find the memorial Lauluisale /To Our Singing Father/ (A. Adamson, 1926) which reminds us that it was in Võru where town doctor F. R. Kreutzwald (1803-1882) wrote the Estonian national epic Kalevipoeg /The Son of Kalev/.
Võru was built on the shore of Lake Tamula on the order of Empress of Russia Catherine the Great. You can find an interesting network of streets that crosses at right angles, unique architectural monuments, beautiful wooden houses in the Old Town, museums and a cultural centre in the city, which was built according to a plan from 1784. The city space itself is decorated with various works of art (Lustlik seapere /The Merry Pig Family/ and Kaelkirjak /Giraffe/ in front of Võrumaa and Nöörimaa food centres, murals by Navitrolla, etc.) and memorials (a memorial at the train station which commemorates the deportations and a memorial to the sinking of the Estonia ferry on Seminar Square). Perfectly modern infrastructure is at the disposal of both residents and visitors.
Võru is known for its unique and high-level cultural and sporting events. Among them are the Võru Folklore Festival, the Uma pido Singing Festival in the Võro dialect, the local food festival Uma mekk and the biggest children’s festival in Estonia. The internationally renowned Võhandu rowing marathon starts on Lake Tamula.
