Võru (; vro, Võro; german: Werro) is a
town and a
municipality in south-eastern
Estonia. It is the
capital
Capital may refer to:
Common uses
* Capital city, a municipality of primary status
** List of national capital cities
* Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences
* Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...
of
Võru County and the centre of
Võru Parish.
History
Võru was founded on 21 August 1784, according to the wish of the Empress
Catherine II of Russia
, en, Catherine Alexeievna Romanova, link=yes
, house =
, father = Christian August, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
, mother = Joanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp
, birth_date =
, birth_name = Princess Sophie of Anhal ...
, by the order of Riga Governor general count
George Browne George Browne may refer to:
*Sir George Browne (died 1483) (1440–1483), took part in Buckingham's rebellion
*George Browne (archbishop of Dublin) (died 1556), Anglican bishop in Ireland
* George Browne (by 1517–62 or later), MP for Berwick-upon ...
, on the site of the former Võru estate.
Geography and climate
The town is situated on the shore of
Lake Tamula
Lake Tamula is a lake in southern Estonia, located on the southeastern side of the town of Võru. The lake has an area of 2.313 km², average depth is 4.2 m and maximum depth 7.5 m.
On 11 September 2010 Estonian shot putter Taavi Peetre drowned ...
.
Võru has a
humid continental climate (''Dfb'' according to the
Köppen climate classification) with warm summers and cold winters. Võru has one of the most continental climates in Estonia: both the temperatures of 35.6 °C, which is the highest temperature ever recorded in the country and - 43.4 °C, which is very close to the coldest temperature ever recorded in the country (after
Jõgeva) are recorded here.
Precipitation is usually higher in early summer to late autumn, and lower in late winter to early spring.
Culture
The
Võru Folklore Festival
Võru Folklore Festival ( et, Võru folkloorifestival) is an international festival which is focused on folklore-related activities and takes place annually in Võru, Estonia. This festival is the oldest and biggest annual folk festival in Estoni ...
is held annually in Võru in July since 1995.
Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald, the author of the Estonian
national epic
A national epic is an epic poem or a literary work of epic scope which seeks or is believed to capture and express the essence or spirit of a particular nation—not necessarily a nation state, but at least an ethnic or linguistic group with as ...
"
Kalevipoeg", lived in Võru from 1833 to 1877.
Transport
European route E263 is the main connection with the rest of Estonia. Other roads connect Võru with
Põlva,
Räpina
Räpina ( vro, Räpinä, german: Rappin) is a town in Põlva County, Estonia. Räpina was administrative centre of Räpina raion from 1950 until 1961, currently it is the administrative centre of Räpina Parish. The oldest commercial enter ...
,
Antsla and
Valga. The
Valga–
Pechory railway, which passes through Võru, is currently inactive. The
Võru train station
Võru (; vro, Võro; german: Werro) is a town and a municipality in south-eastern Estonia. It is the capital of Võru County and the centre of Võru Parish.
History
Võru was founded on 21 August 1784, according to the wish of the Empress C ...
is unused as of 2014.
Military
Võru is home to
Taara Army Base, headquarters of the
Kuperjanov Infantry Battalion.
Sports
Võru is home to
Võru Stadium
Võru (; vro, Võro; german: Werro) is a town and a municipality in south-eastern Estonia. It is the capital of Võru County and the centre of Võru Parish.
History
Võru was founded on 21 August 1784, according to the wish of the Empress Cathe ...
, the home ground of
II liiga football team
Võru JK
Võru JK was an Estonian football club based in Võru. The club was founded in 2001 and was dissolved in the end 2016 when the team merged into Võru FC Helios. The team last played in the II Liiga
II liiga is the fourth level of football ...
.
Twin towns – sister cities
Võru is
twinned
Twinning (making a twin of) may refer to:
* In biology and agriculture, producing two offspring (i.e., twins) at a time, or having a tendency to do so;
* Twin towns and sister cities, towns and cities involved in town twinning
* Twinning inst ...
with:
*
Alūksne, Latvia
*
Bad Segeberg
Bad Segeberg (; Low German: Sebarg) is a German town of 16,000 inhabitants, located in the state of Schleswig-Holstein, capital of the district (Kreis) Segeberg. It is situated approximately northeast of Hamburg, and west of Lübeck.
It is famo ...
, Germany
*
Chambray-lès-Tours
Chambray-lès-Tours (, literally ''Chambray Lès, near Tours'') is a Communes of France, commune in the Indre-et-Loire Departments of France, department, central France. It is the birthplace of professional association football, footballer Adam Ou ...
, France
*
Härryda, Sweden
*
Iisalmi, Finland
*
Joniškis, Lithuania
*
Kaniv, Ukraine
*
Laitila
Laitila (; sv, Letala) is a town and a municipality of Finland. It is located in the Southwest Finland region, and it is from Laitila to Turku. The municipality has a population of
() and covers an area of of
which
is water. The population de ...
, Finland
*
Landskrona, Sweden
*
Pechorsky District
Pechorsky District (russian: Печо́рский райо́н) is an administrativeLaw #833-oz and municipalLaw #420-oz district (raion), one of the twenty-four in Pskov Oblast, Russia. It is located in the northwest of the oblast and borders wi ...
, Russia
*
Smolyan
Smolyan ( bg, Смолян) List of cities and towns in Bulgaria, is a town and ski resort in the south of Bulgaria near the border with Greece. It is the administrative and industrial centre of the homonymous Smolyan Province. The town is built ...
, Bulgaria
*
Suwałki, Poland
Notable people
*
Priit Aimla
Priit Aimla (born 19 April 1941 in Võru) is an Estonian writer, poet, humorist and politician known for several stage plays and books. During 1992 to 1995, he belonged to Riigikogu, having been elected as a member of the Independent Royal ...
(born 1941) writer, poet, humorist and politician was born in Võru.
*
Helmut Ajango
Helmut "Mike" Ajango (November 30, 1931 – November 15, 2013) was an Estonian-born architect based in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin in the United States.[Moses Wolf Goldberg
Moses Wolf Goldberg (June 30, 1905 – February 17, 1964) was an Estonian chemist who, along with Leo Henryk Sternbach, developed a process for the synthesis of biotin (a B vitamin) in 1949.
Biography
Moses Wolf Goldberg was born in Rūjiena ...]
(1905–1964), Estonian-Jewish chemist, lived in Võru as a child.
*
Sulev Iva (born 1969), Võro identity advocate, founder of Võro Institute.
*
Meelis Kanep (born 1983), Estonian chess grandmaster, was born in Võru.
*
Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald (1803–1882), Estonian writer and folklorist, the author of Estonian national epic "
Kalevipoeg", lived in Võru from 1833 to 1877.
*
Ain Mäeots
Ain Mäeots (born 25 December 1971) is an Estonian stage, film, and television actor and stage, film, and television director and producer.
Early life and education
Ain Mäeots was born in Võru, Võru County, in 1971. He has one brother. He is ...
(born 1971), Estonian actor and director, was born in Võru.
*
Innar Mäesalu
Innar Mäesalu (born 2 August 1970, in Võru) is an Estonian politician. He was a member of XII Riigikogu
XII Riigikogu was the twelfth legislature of the Estonian Parliament (Riigikogu
The Riigikogu (; from Estonian ''riigi-'', of the st ...
(born 1970), Estonian politician
*
Marianne Mikko
Marianne Mikko (born 26 September 1961) is an Estonian politician and former Member of the European Parliament and formeMember of the Parliament of Estoniafor the Social Democratic Party, part of the Party of European Socialists. Mikko was born ...
(born 1961), Estonian politician.
*
Hilje Murel
Hilje Murel (born 17 December 1975) is an Estonian stage, film, and television actress.
Early life and education
Hilje Murel was born in the town of Võru in Võru County. She is a 1998 graduate of the EMA Higher Drama School (now, the Estonian ...
(born 1975), Estonian actress, was born in Võru.
*
Priit Narusk
Priit Narusk (born 8 December 1977, in Võru) is a retired Estonian cross-country skier. He represented Estonia at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, and at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin
Turin ( , Piedmontese language, Piedmonte ...
(born 1977), Estonian cross-country skier, was born in Võru.
*
Erki Nool (born 1970), Estonian decathlete and politician, was born in Võru.
*
Erki Pehk
Erki Pehk (born 23 March 1968) is an Estonian conductor and artistic director of opera music festival PromFest.
Childhood
Erki Pehk was born in Võru, Estonia in the family of Heino Pehk, an established music teacher and choir conductor. Erk ...
(born 1968), Estonian conductor, was born in Võru.
*
Anti Saarepuu
Anti Saarepuu (born 26 March 1983 in Võru) is a retired Estonian cross-country skier who has competed since 2003. He competed at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin and at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Saarepuu's best finish at the Winte ...
(born 1983), Estonian cross-country skier, was born in Võru.
*
Leon Sibul (1932–2007), American electrical engineer, was born in Võru.
*
Uku Suviste (born 1982), Estonian singer, was born in Võru.
*
Kaija Udras (born 1986), Estonian cross-country skier, was born in Võru.
*
Debora Vaarandi
Debora Vaarandi (born Debora Trull; 1 October 1916 – 28 April 2007) was an Estonian writer, considered to be a leading literary figure in post-World War II Estonia. Many of her poems were set to music. Vaarandi was a recipient of the firs ...
(1916–2007), Estonian poet, was born in Võru.
*
Katrin Välbe (1904–1981), Estonian actress, was born in Võru.
*
Kullar Viimne
Kullar Viimne (born 22 March 1980 in Võru) is an Estonian director, scriptwriter, editor and cinematographer.
Between 2004 - 2011 he studied at the Baltic Film and Media School of Cinema, Tallinn University. Has furthered his education at fi ...
(born 1980), Estonian fillmaker, was born in Võru.
Gallery
Võru town centre.jpg, Fr.R.Kreutzwald street in Võru
Võru town centre near the beach.jpg, Tartu street near the beach
Tamula lake in Võru.jpg, Tamula lake in Võru
MS Estonia memorial in the central square.jpg, MS Estonia memorial on the central square
Võro Instituut 2011 03 17.jpg, Võro Institute
Võru Gümnaasium 2018 12.jpg, Võru Gymnasium
F R Kreutzwaldi monument Vorus.JPG, Monument to Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald
Võru maavalitsus.JPG, Võru county government building
Võru old fire station, 2013.jpg, Old fire station
See also
*
Võro language
References
External links
*
Võru Folklore FestivalVõro Institute
{{DEFAULTSORT:Voru
Cities and towns in Estonia
Municipalities of Estonia
Planned cities
Populated places established in 1784
18th-century establishments in Estonia
Kreis Werro