‘The Kissing Students’ sculpture and fountain

‘Countrywomen’ is a group of sculptures by sculptor Mare Mikofi, completed in 1974, which has been on display at the Town Hall Square in front of the Tartu Art Museum since 2013.It depicts two women, the older one sitting and being content and exhausted, and the other, the younger, standing beside her, empathetically holding her arm around the older woman’s shoulder. The difference between the generations is strongly reflected in their clothing – the younger is wearing trousers, a light vest and platform shoes, and the older one is wearing a dress and an apron, leaving her feet bare.The installation of ‘Countrywomen’ celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Tartu Art Museum in the Leaning House.

The sculpture of Russian Empress Catherine II (sculptor Jaak Soans) was installed on the renovated Catherine Alley in 2014.The city of Võru was established as the centre of the newly created county under the new Provincial Governance Law of 1784. Catherine II personally gave a number of orders for the founding of a new city and affirmed the coat of arms of the city. The avenue from the first house of Võru town, the main building of the manor belonging to von Mengdens (Võru upper secondary school) to Lake Tamula, is shown on very early maps of Võru city. Catherine Alley connects the city's central square with Kreutzwald Park and Tamula Lake's promenade.

A sculpture created in Tartu's Old Town in 1999 depicts a fun speculation about the history of literature. Sitting on a bench are contemporaries and namesakes, or the two Wildes: Irish-born writer Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) and Estonian writer Eduard Vilde (1865-1933). Sculptor Tiiu Kirsipuu, who modeled the figures of the writers based on photographs, has noted that when creating the twin figures, she had in mind the year 1890, when the two Wildes could have really met each other and had a few witty words. The sculpture symbolizes friendship and intercultural dialogue. The sculpture of the two writers is located in front of the former Mattiesen printing house, one of Tartu's architectural monuments, which now houses the wine and art restaurant Vilde ja Vine. The statue is a beloved landmark among both locals and visitors. Sitting on the bench next to the writers allows you to take nice pictures as a souvenir of your visit to Tartu. In 2004, a copy of the sculpture was also donated to the city of Galway in Ireland, where the paternal family of literary classic Oscar Wilde came from.

Karl Menning was the founder of professional theatre in Estonia and the first professional theatre and stage director in the country. He was the director of the Vanemuine Theatre from 1906 to 1914. His sculpture was created by Mare Mikoff and is unique for the fact that it can be turned on the spot.

The Kaarnakivi Stone by the sculptor Tiiu Kirsipuu is a memorial to the writer Juhan Jaik erected on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his birth. Fantasy author Juhan Jaik (1899-1948), born in Sänna in Võru County, wrote captivating and enchanting stories and poems for both adults and children. "Kaarnakivi", a collection of ghost and animal stories, is an Estonian children's literature classic that continues to excite readers today.The "kaarnakivi", as many Estonians already know, is a stone that gives its finder whatever he or she wants, if a person knows how to use it prudently.

The sculpture was created by Mati Karmin and unveiled in front of the Tartu Market on 17 January 2008.The steel barrel rests on a granite base and the numbers and letters cut into the base inform the viewer that the date when the sculpture was opened, 17 January, is St Anthony’s Day when old Estonians used to turn their attention to the pig.

The emotional and powerful memorial (2016) was erected to honour the harsh fate of the people deported from Võru and Võru County from 1941 to 1952. The sculptor is Jaak Soans.The memorial depicts two rows of bronze animal wagons placed on a concrete block 1.6 metres high, with human figures visible between them. A ramp made of original railway sleepers and dolomite gravel, which is 4 metres wide and 16 metres long, takes to the memorial. The total length of the memorial complex is almost 24 meters.

NIPERNAADI, the eternal wanderer and dreamer, greets visitors and boldly raises his hat in the Säde park. Look at the sole of his raised travelling boot and you'll see adventurous roads awaiting for you. If you manage to polish even the smallest part of it you will always have good luck accompanying your travels. Look into his eyes and you'll start dreaming, too. If you happen to meet his eyes for a bit longer your longing will be filled with something beautiful and unusual. Wave him as you leave and adventures will follow.NIPERNAADI, a vigorous bronze sculpture inspired by the protagonist of the novel "Toomas Nipernaadi" by August Gailit is anxious to meet you.