Viljandi
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Viljandi | |
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UTC+3 (EEST) | |
Postal code | 71020 |
ISO 3166 code | EE-897 |
Website | www.viljandi.ee |
Viljandi (Estonian pronunciation: [ˈvilʲːjɑnʲːdi], German: Fellin, Latvian: Vīlande, Polish: Felin, Swedish: Fellin) is a town and municipality in southern Estonia with a population of 17,407 in 2019.[1] It is the capital of Viljandi County and is geographically located between two major Estonian cities, Pärnu and Tartu. The town was first mentioned in 1283, upon being granted its town charter by Wilhelm von Endorpe. The town became a member of the Hanseatic League at the beginning of the 14th century, and is one of five Estonian towns and cities in the league. The once influential Estonian newspaper Sakala was founded in Viljandi in 1878.
Symbols
The flag of Viljandi is bi-coloured, its upper part is light blue and lower part white. The city's shield-shaped coat of arms is light blue, with a white rose in the middle. Viljandi is the white rose city – in midsummer there are 720 white roses flowering in front of the city hall, planted for the town's anniversary in 2003. In summer, the White Rose Day is celebrated in Viljandi.
History
The first records of civilization in the surroundings of Viljandi date back to the 5th millennium B.C. The first written record of the earthen
In the 12th century, a permanent settlement emerged around the stronghold of Viljandi, which also became the economic centre of the ancient Sakala district.
In 1211 the
In the 13th century, a medieval town arose on the northern side of the stronghold. The Hamburg-Riga town
In 1470, Johann Wolthus von Herse, then master of the order, took up residence in the castle. In the Middle Ages, Viljandi was a typical small commercial town, which got its main income from transit trade. The local trade and handicraft played an equally important role. In 1481,
During the
After the Great Northern War, Russians seized the power and Viljandi was without laws until the year 1783, when in the course of the regency reforms of Catherine II Viljandi became a district town. This involved the re-establishment of town bylaws. The economic and political importance of Viljandi started to increase. The population, meanwhile, having decreased to the minimum, started to rise again; handicraft, trading and cultural life were enlivened.
In 2005, Estonian Match, the successor of the 100-year-old Viljandi Match Factory, made a six-metre match, which was registered as the largest match in the world in the
Climate
Climate data for Viljandi (normals 1991–2020, extremes 1824–present) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 9.6 (49.3) |
10.5 (50.9) |
17.4 (63.3) |
27.3 (81.1) |
31.1 (88.0) |
33.6 (92.5) |
34.2 (93.6) |
34.5 (94.1) |
29.0 (84.2) |
21.5 (70.7) |
13.7 (56.7) |
11.4 (52.5) |
34.5 (94.1) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −1.7 (28.9) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
3.2 (37.8) |
10.9 (51.6) |
17.2 (63.0) |
20.8 (69.4) |
23.3 (73.9) |
21.8 (71.2) |
16.4 (61.5) |
9.2 (48.6) |
3.3 (37.9) |
0.1 (32.2) |
10.2 (50.4) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | −4.0 (24.8) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−0.7 (30.7) |
5.6 (42.1) |
11.4 (52.5) |
15.3 (59.5) |
17.9 (64.2) |
16.5 (61.7) |
11.7 (53.1) |
5.9 (42.6) |
1.2 (34.2) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
6.2 (43.2) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −6.4 (20.5) |
−7.3 (18.9) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
0.9 (33.6) |
5.6 (42.1) |
10.1 (50.2) |
12.9 (55.2) |
11.9 (53.4) |
7.9 (46.2) |
3.1 (37.6) |
−0.8 (30.6) |
−4.1 (24.6) |
2.5 (36.5) |
Record low °C (°F) | −35.2 (−31.4) |
−35.7 (−32.3) |
−29.1 (−20.4) |
−18 (0) |
−5 (23) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
3.6 (38.5) |
1.5 (34.7) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−13 (9) |
−21.9 (−7.4) |
−34.7 (−30.5) |
−35.7 (−32.3) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 60 (2.4) |
47 (1.9) |
40 (1.6) |
39 (1.5) |
47 (1.9) |
84 (3.3) |
76 (3.0) |
89 (3.5) |
61 (2.4) |
79 (3.1) |
63 (2.5) |
62 (2.4) |
747 (29.4) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 13.3 | 10.4 | 9.2 | 8.1 | 8.2 | 10.6 | 10.0 | 11.4 | 10.2 | 12.6 | 11.9 | 13.8 | 129.7 |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
90 | 87 | 79 | 69 | 66 | 71 | 75 | 79 | 83 | 88 | 91 | 91 | 81 |
Source: Estonian Weather Service[2][3][4][5][6][7] |
Culture
Viljandi is sometimes called the cultural capital of Estonia, partly due to the
Viljandi Puppet Theatre
Sakala Centre
Viljandi Library built in 2002 is also a venue for exhibitions, meetings with famous people, culture seminars, etc.
Kondas Centre is dedicated to Estonian naïve artist Paul Kondas. The center hosts exhibitions of representatives of naïvism and is also a meeting place for artistic people.
Estonian Traditional Music Centre located in the Traditional Music Storehouse, a restored store house on Kirsimägi in the Castle ruins. The mission of the center is to promote and teach traditional music.
Demographics
Ethnicity | 1922[8] | 1934[9] | 1941[10] | 1959[11]
|
1970[12]
|
1979[13]
|
1989[13]
|
2000[14]
|
2011[15]
|
2021[16] | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
amount | % | amount | % | amount | % | amount | % | amount | % | amount | % | amount | % | amount | % | amount | % | amount | % | |
Estonians | 8667 | 92.2 | 10998 | 93.3 | 10890 | 98.0 | 15422 | 86.1 | 17971 | 86.3 | 19469 | 87.0 | 20093 | 87.1 | 18995 | 91.5 | 16443 | 94.1 | 16230 | 94.1 |
Russians | 124 | 1.32 | 204 | 1.73 | 119 | 1.07 | - | - | 1912 | 9.19 | 2013 | 9.00 | 1899 | 8.23 | 1085 | 5.23 | 648 | 3.71 | 508 | 2.95 |
Ukrainians | - | - | 2 | 0.02 | - | - | - | - | 151 | 0.73 | 212 | 0.95 | 363 | 1.57 | 194 | 0.93 | 128 | 0.73 | 169 | 0.98 |
Belarusians | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 50 | 0.24 | 90 | 0.40 | 100 | 0.43 | 55 | 0.26 | 35 | 0.20 | 33 | 0.19 |
Finns | - | - | 20 | 0.17 | 12 | 0.11 | - | - | 373 | 1.79 | 381 | 1.70 | 344 | 1.49 | 241 | 1.16 | 105 | 0.60 | 93 | 0.54 |
Jews | 131 | 1.39 | 121 | 1.03 | 0 | 0.00 | - | - | 22 | 0.11 | 16 | 0.07 | 15 | 0.06 | 6 | 0.03 | 8 | 0.05 | 3 | 0.02 |
Latvians | - | - | 41 | 0.35 | 17 | 0.15 | - | - | 26 | 0.12 | 35 | 0.16 | 33 | 0.14 | 8 | 0.04 | 3 | 0.02 | 14 | 0.08 |
Germans | 332 | 3.53 | 345 | 2.93 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 54 | 0.24 | 49 | 0.21 | 10 | 0.05 | 7 | 0.04 | 17 | 0.10 |
Tatars | - | - | 0 | 0.00 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | 0.04 | 14 | 0.06 | 8 | 0.04 | 6 | 0.03 | 6 | 0.03 |
Poles | - | - | 13 | 0.11 | 17 | 0.15 | - | - | - | - | 20 | 0.09 | 20 | 0.09 | 7 | 0.03 | 8 | 0.05 | 11 | 0.06 |
Lithuanians | - | - | 6 | 0.05 | 1 | 0.01 | - | - | 19 | 0.09 | 19 | 0.08 | 30 | 0.13 | 21 | 0.10 | 15 | 0.09 | 13 | 0.08 |
unknown | 0 | 0.00 | 6 | 0.05 | 2 | 0.02 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 68 | 0.33 | 9 | 0.05 | 22 | 0.13 |
other | 142 | 1.51 | 32 | 0.27 | 51 | 0.46 | 2494 | 13.9 | 290 | 1.39 | 50 | 0.22 | 120 | 0.52 | 58 | 0.28 | 58 | 0.33 | 126 | 0.73 |
Total | 9396 | 100 | 11788 | 100 | 11109 | 100 | 17916 | 100 | 20814 | 100 | 22368 | 100 | 23080 | 100 | 20756 | 100 | 17473 | 100 | 17245 | 100 |
Geography
The town is situated on the north-western shore of
Economy
There were 871 businesses in Viljandi on 1 May 2005, 50% of them in service, 45% in trade, and 5% in production areas. The major industries represented are the construction materials industry, textile industry, and food and bakery industry. In 2005, the Investor of the Year title was awarded to the waterworks operator AS Viljandi Veevärk, the Employer award to AS Toom Tekstiil, and the Sponsor of the Year title to AS Viljandi Metall. Unemployment rate among the working-age population in Viljandi was about 3%.[when?]
Transport
At the moment, 3 modes of transport can be used – free local buses, road and rail. One of the most important is the Viljandi railway station, which was opened in 1897, through which the Lelle-Viljandi railway and the Viljandi-Mõisaküla railway pass.
Education
There are 7 schools and 7 kindergartens in Viljandi, a vocational secondary school and a university college. Special interests are catered for by a variety of institution providing extracurricular studies and activities in such fields as sports, music etc. The Youth Centre of Viljandi County is successful in offering various information and consulting services.
Schools in Viljandi
Primary Schools
Grammar Schools
Vocational education
Vocational education can be acquired at Viljandi Joint Vocational Secondary School.
Higher education
Higher and applied higher education can be acquired at
Extracurricular educational institutions
- Viljandi Music School
- Viljandi Sports School
- Viljandi Art School
- Viljandi Youth Hobby Centre
Sports
There are sports events in Viljandi for both top athletes and amateurs. Family sports events, Sunday skiing trips, cycling tours in spring and autumn are very popular. In the city there are 53 sports clubs, a large sports hall and the new sports hall of Maagümnaasium. Also, the country's first artificial speed skating oval was opened in 2014.[17] Soon, the jogging and cycling track around Lake Viljandi will be completed. A new skateboarding and roller-skating area has been built in Männimäe. At the lakeside are tennis courts and the city stadium.
Several races are held in Viljandi – around Lake Viljandi and Lake Paala and up and down the Trepimägi stairs. The longest tradition – the race around Lake Viljandi has been organised since 1928. This race takes place annually on 1 May, with the number of participants being about 1300 in the recent years. The winners' names are cut into stone columns. The legendary Hubert Pärnakivi, whose monument is also a tribute to the race, was an 11-time winner of the race.
Other popular fields of sport in Viljandi are handball, football, volleyball, basketball, wrestling, archery and rowing.
Legends
Boatman of Viljandi
Often the popular song is sung about the Boatman of Viljandi or the legend of him is told. Long-long ago, as a young man he had once taken a young girl across the lake on a summer evening and fallen hopelessly in love with the girl's blue eyes. Nobody knows what happened on the lake, but on the other side, the girl just waved him good-bye and left... However, the Boatman, a grey old man now, is said to row on the lake to this day, longing to see those wonderful blue eyes again.
According to another story, it was a boatman from Gauja who had dedicated a song to his loved one. As the young woman had moved near Viljandi, the song had changed, too.
International relations
Viljandi as historic Hanseatic town is a member of the international City League the Hanse.
Twin towns – sister cities
Events
- Viljandi Folk Music Festival a music festival with a focus on European folk music. It is traditionally held in the end of July. In the year 2006, over 24,000 people attended the concerts. As such, it is the largest annual music festival in Estonia. Due to this, Viljandi is sometimes called the Estonian Capital of Folk Music.
- Early Music Festival
- Notafe Festival – originally 'Noore Tantsu (Young Dance) Festival' : Annual experimental theater festival founded in 1993, traditionally held in mid July.
- Winter Folk Dance Festival
- "Theatre in Suitcase" puppet theatre festival
- Rock Ramp Festival. In 2013, the 7th festival was held.[19] In 2014, last Rock Ramp took place.[citation needed]
- Viljandi Hanseatic Days are traditionally held in June every year. The program covers different activities and events like a Hanseatic fair, where people can buy and sell traditional goods. The Viljandi Hanseatic Days also offer concerts and live performances from local and foreign performers. Different workshops are opened. Medieval sports games take place by the Lake Viljandi.
- International Hanseatic Days will be held in Viljandi from 2015.
- Grand Race around Lake Viljandi
Notable residents
- Jaak Aab (born 1960), Estonian politician
- Ülle Aaskivi (1950–2007), Estonian politician
- Friedrich Akel (1871–1941), Estonian politician
- Liisa Aibel (born 1972), Estonian actress
- August Alle (1890–1952), Estonian author
- Stefan Airapetjan (born 1997), singer
- Meelis Atonen (born 1966), Estonian politician
- Franz Burchard Dörbeck (1799–1835), Baltic-German caricaturist and painter
- August Eller (1907–1990), Estonian chess player
- Dionysius Fabricius (1564–1617), chronicler and cleric during the Polish rule
- Väino Ilus (born 1929), Estonian writer
- Carl Robert Jakobson (1841–1882), Estonian politician and journalist
- Jaak Joala (1950–2014), Estonian singer
- Kaido Kama (born 1957), Estonian politician
- Triinu Kivilaan (born 1989), former bassist of the band Vanilla Ninja
- August Kitzberg (1855–1927), Estonian writer
- Ragnar Klavan (born 1985), Estonian footballer
- Johan Laidoner (1884–1953), Estonian general and statesman
- Mart Laar (born 1960), Estonian historian and politician
- Karin Luts (1904–1993), Estonian artist
- Mait Malmsten (born 1972), Estonian actor
- Karol Mets (born 1993), Estonian footballer
- Uno Naissoo (1928–1980), Estonian composer and music pedagogue
- Annely Peebo (born 1971), Estonian opera singer
- Eric Pehap (1912–1981), abstract artist
- Sander Post (born 1984), Estonian footballer
- Joakim Puhk (1888–1942), Estonian entrepreneur and sports official
- Viktor Puskar (1889–1943), Estonian military commander
- Tõnis Rätsep (born 1947), Estonian actor, musician, playwright and educator
- Elisabeth Schiemann (1881–1972), German geneticist and crop scientist
- Helir-Valdor Seeder (born 1964), Estonian politician
- Indrek Taalmaa (born 1967), Estonian actor
- Joonas Tamm (born 1992), Estonian footballer
- Jaan Tätte (born 1964), Estonian dramatist, actor and singer
- Jaan Tõnisson (1868–1941), Estonian politician and journalist
Gallery
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Panoramic view of the town
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St. Paul's church (Pauluse kirik)
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Viljandi castle. Ruins at the southern end of the hill with Lake Viljandi in the background
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Viljandi Folk Music Festival held annually within the castle ruins
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Viljandi Town Heritage Conservation Area
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Main building of University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy on Tallinna tänav 16 in Viljandi
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Viljandi manor main building
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Grand Hotel Viljandi
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Main building of Viljandi Gümnaasium
See also
- Lake Viljandi
- Viljandi castle
- University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy
References
- ^ a b "Statistikaamet". Retrieved 10 October 2019.
- ^ "Climate normals-Temperature". Estonian Weather Service. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ^ "Climate normals-Precipitation". Estonian Weather Service. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ^ "Climate normals-Humidity". Estonian Weather Service. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ^ "Rekordid" (in Estonian). Estonian Weather Service. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
- ^ "Kliimanormid-Sademed, õhuniiskus" (in Estonian). Estonian Weather Service. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
- ^ "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
- ISBN 9789916103067.
- hdl:10062/4439.
- ^ Eesti Statistika : kuukiri 1942-03/04 (in German and Estonian). Tallinn: Riigi Statistika Keskbüroo. 1942. pp. 66–67.
- ISBN 9985-820-20-7.
- ^ Население районов, городов и поселков городского типа Эстонской ССР : по данным Всесоюзной переписи населения на 15 января 1970 года (in Russian). Tallinn: Eesti NSV Statistika Keskvalitsus. 1972. p. 76.
- ^ ISBN 978-9949-7193-2-7– via Digar.
- ^ "RL222: RAHVASTIK ELUKOHA JA RAHVUSE JÄRGI". Estonian Statistical Database (in Estonian).
- ^ "RL0429: RAHVASTIK RAHVUSE, SOO, VANUSERÜHMA JA ELUKOHA JÄRGI, 31. DETSEMBER 2011". Estonian Statistical Database. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
- ^ "RL21429: Rahvastik Rahvuse, Soo, Vanuserühma Ja ELukoha (Haldusüksus) Järgi, 31. DETSEMBER 2021". Estonian Statistical Database (in Estonian).
- ^ EISBAHN VILJANDI
- ^ "Sõpruslinnad". viljandi.ee (in Estonian). Viljandi linn. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
- ^ ""Rock Ramp" toob 38 esinejat". Sakala (in Estonian). 6 July 2013. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
- Heinrici (ca. 1187–1259) Chronicon Livoniae see also Chronicle of Henry of Livonia
External links
Media related to Viljandi at Wikimedia Commons Viljandi travel guide from Wikivoyage