 Old buildings of Viljandi II
In Viljandi, the most important town of Viljandi county which Estonians call “Mulgimaa”, there are old buildings worth of sightseeing. This leaflet offers you help in getting aquainted with them. This tour includes buildings connected with well-known people. Lets start from the hart of the town…
1. Editorial premises of the local newspaper “Sakala”, 4 and 9 Tartu Street
The newspaper “Sakala”, founded by Carl Robert Jakobson, was first published in 1878. The initial location of the editorial was 4 Tartu Street, the house of a tanner, Mr Rieprich. During the years 1878-1882 with C. R. Jakobson as the editor, the newspaper was the most popular, having 900 correspondents and over 4500 subscribers. Many famous personalities in Estonian cultural life, such as Jaan Järve, Jakob Kõrb, Jüri and Ado Peet, Juhan Liiv, Hugo Raudsepp, have been the editors or worked for the editorial of the newspaper “Sakala”. Nowadays in the buildings 9 Tartu Street are still situated the editorial rooms as well as the rooms of several shops.
2. Residence of Juhan Liiv, 3 J. Liivi Street
Juhan Liiv came to Viljandi in the end of 1887 and left in January 1890. His aim was to improve the reputation of the newspaper “Sakala”. He had to fulfil all the work just because the owner of the newspaper Jüri Peet didn’t have any literary abilities. The editorial of the newspaper and Juhan Liiv’s apartment were both situated in the extension of the house (from the yard), the house nr 3, which is nowadays a dwelling house.
3. Baron Wolff’s House, 14 Jakobson Street
This building is a two-story stone dwelling house built in 1888 and it belonged to the Baron Wolff. In the year 1917 Military-revolutionary Committee of Viljandi located in this building. Later the headquarters of Battalion of Sakala Guerrillas situated here, and during the Soviet Union period the house was used as the Military Registration and Enlistment Office. Today the Department of National Defence of Viljandi lies in this building. Since 1964 the house is under protection as an object of historical memorial.
4. Mr Riet’s House, 24 Posti Street / 10 Koidu Street
The house was built in 1914, projected and designed by the architect Karl Burman. The owner of the house was the photographer Jaan Riet. J. Riet studied to become a photographer in Tallinn, at the master photographer Hans Kristian’s studio. In 1989 he opened a studio of his own. J. Riet’s collection of photos includes a great number of views of different places, numerous pictures of events and people. According to the data received from J. Riet’s great-grand-daughter Made (Made was the daughter of J. Riet’s daughter Hilja Riet’s son), during the period of February 14th 1896 to March 21st 1948 there have been made 79 386 photos in the studio in Posti Street. At present a video lending service is situated in this house.
5. The Residence of the writer August Kitzberg, 23 Posti Street
The writer August Kitzberg lived in Viljandi during the years 1893–1894. Here he wrote one of his so-called “circumstance” plays, ment to oppose abusing strong drinks, the play “Punga-Mart and Uba-Kaarel” and also he wrote some stories, including the story “Kelmikülas” (“In The Village of Rascals”) the plot of which is based on the life in Viljandi. A. Kitzberg participated actively in the social life of Viljandi, he was the vice president of the cultural association “Koit” and composed the report to be presented at the 25th anniversary of the association. Today the house is a private property.
6. The Residence of the poet and educationalist Friedrich Kuhlbars, 3 The General Laidoner’s Square
Friedrich Kuhlbars came to Viljandi in 1862 to become a teacher in the Elementary School and he worked for that school for 33 years. After finishing his pedagogical work he was active as a writer, and he took up a research of local place names as a hobby. Fr. Kuhlbars lived on the first floor of the wooden house, built in the end of the 18th century.
Today there are dwelling rooms in this buildings.
7. The Residence of the artist Juhan Muks, 23 Pikk Street
The House 23 Pikk Street was the home for the painter Juhan Muks during the years 1944-1983. Juhan Muks was born in 1899 in Tuhalaane, Viljandi County. He acquired the higher education abroad and returned to Viljandi in 1930. Together with the other artists he initiated the tradition of art exhibitions. In his art, besides the portrait paintings prevailed landscapes. J. Muks died on 23 November 1938 and is buried in Viljandi Metsakalmistu (cemetery).
8. The house of Mats Nõges – “The Villa Engelhardt”, 5 Lutsu Street
Building of this house started probably in1906 when Elisabeth von Engelhardt, the spouse of the mayor Otto von Engelhardt, obtained this real estate. The historians researching architecture presume that the house of a Villa type had been projected by a Baltic-German architect Rudolf-Moritz von Engelhardt, who was Otto von Engelhardt’s brother. The house has been built in style Art Nouveau, the allocations and designs of the rooms in the house are functional and convenient. The vividness to the frontage has been given by the initation of framework. The tall narrow windows above the entrance add the stylish dignity to the house. In 1921 the estate was bought by Mart Univer, who started working in Viljandi as the head of the firmary of Red Cross. Later on he became the head of Viljandi Hospital.
9. The Residence of Jaan Lattik, 2 Lossi Street
Jaan Lattik resided in this house during the years 1910-1911. He was a famous Estonian clergyman, educationalist, writer and politician. Having arrived in Viljandi in 1909, he became immediately the headmaster of the Viljandi Girls’ School belonging to the Estonian Educational Society, as well as the vicar of the Viljandi County congregation. During his stay in Viljandi J. Lattik played an active part in the social and political life – he was elected to be the Chairman of the Estonian Educational Society in Viljandi and the President of the League of Viljandi Schoolteachers.
|
|
Manor houses of Viljandi County 1
Museums of Viljandi county 1
Museums of Viljandi county 2
Museums of Viljandi county 3
Old buildings of Viljandi II
Old buildings of Viljandi III
Old buildings of Viljandi IV
Põhja-Viljandimaa
Soomaa 1
Soomaa 2
Soomaa 3
Soomaa 4
Soomaa 5
Soomaa 6
Southern part of Viljandi County I
Tour around the Viljandi
Viljandi
Viljandi vanad majad I |
