Kalevipoeg – War of Independence Monument

The monument to Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald (1803-1882), founder of the Estonian national literature, was built in 1952. The authors of the monument were sculptors Johannes Hirv and Martin Saks, and architects Heiki Karro, Ants Mellik, and Mart Port.

Jakob Hurt (22.07.1839-13.01.1907) was an Estonian folklorist and linguist. He studied theology in the University of Tartu and gained his Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Helsinki in 1886. He played the leading role in many major events of the Estonian national movements.The monument to Jakob Hurt (1839-1907) was completed in 1994. Its authors are J Soans and R Tomingas.

Opened in 1969, the Struve Monument is dedicated to the former director of the Tartu Observatory, Fr. G. W. Struve (15 April 1793 – 23 November 1864), a Russian astronomer and geodesist of German origin. Under his leadership, the meridian arc was measured between 1816 and 1855 to determine the shape and size of the globe.The monument is an abstract work, inspired by the spirit of its era, reflecting the pursuit of the human race into space. The lower part of the sculpture is a sundial and the upper part is an hourglass. The authors of the monument are Olav Männi and Udo Ivask.The Struve street and the geodetic arc are also dedicated to him in Tartu.

The Monument of Nation is the oldest monument in Tartu. The bones buried under the floor and in the cemetery of St Mary’s Church were found when the main building of the University of Tartu was built on the former site of the church. In 1806 they were reburied in Toomeorg near Vallikraavi Street and the small square Monument to People, which was created according to the drawings of J W Krause and resembles the tomb monuments of Asia Minor (Lykia), was erected there in 1811. The human bones found in the course of archaeological work in the cellars of the main building of the University of Tartu were buried by the monument’s side that faces street on 20 September 1985. A case with information was also buried in the grave.

A monument to those, who fell in the War of Independence, was opened in Misso on 26 May 1935, and the activities of the 1st cavalry regiment in the battles of the War of Independence were immortalised. The monument was demolished in 1945.The reconstructed monument was reopened on 27 August 1989. The granite pillar placed on a base of quarry-stones is 2.5 m tall. Its main side has the symbol of the cavalry unit along with the text “Here, the 1st cavalry regiment fought in the War of Independence on 19 April 1919”. In front of the monument, there are six granite plates with the names of those that fell.A monument to World War II is erected only a few steps from the Monument to the War of Independence.

One of the most important battles of the War of Independence took place near the Paju Manor on 31 January 1919. The Northern Sons Regiment that consisted of Finnish volunteers also fought for the independence of Estonia over here. The most legendary commander in the War of Independence, Lieutenant Julius Kuperjanov, was fatally injured in the battle. The battle memorial is a granite pillar on a three-level pyramid, which was reopened on the 75th anniversary of the battle on 30 January 1994.Interesting facts: * the memorial was opened by President of the Republic of Estonia Lennart Meri; * a memorial tablet to the Northern Sons who fell in the battle can be found on the wall of the Valga Jaani (St John’s) Church.

The statue for those who perished in the War of Independence in Petseri county stands on the Statue of Liberty Square in Värska. The monument designed by sculptor Roman Haavamägi was supposed to be erected in the heart of the town of Petseri in the summer of 1940, but due to the Soviet occupation that started, the plan was abandoned. Only 80 years later, in 20 July 2020, the restored statue was opened here in Setomaa. The soldier figure was modelled and shaped in granite on the basis of photos by sculptor Tiiu Kirsipuu.The Statue of Liberty of Petseri was erected in remembrance of those nearly 350 Estonian soldiers who fell in the War of Independence in Petseri County, as well as the importance of the Tartu Peace Agreement for the Setos.

The monument to the most renowned Estonian symphonist of all times Eduard Tubin stands on the slope by the Vanemuine Theatre (authors A Vahtrapuu, V Valk, sound installations created by Louis Dandrel). Come and see how the well-known Estonian conductor and composer conducts an imaginary orchestra and listen to sound installations of the works of Eduard Tubin.