Jõgeva is a small town in

Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...

with a population of around 5000 people. It is the capital of

Jõgeva Parish Jõgeva Parish () is a rural Municipalities of Estonia, municipality of Estonia, in Jõgeva County. It has a population of 12,413 (2024) and an area of 458 km2 (177 mi2). Populated places ;Towns: Jõgeva (administrative center) ;Sma ...

and

Jõgeva County Jõgeva County ( or ''Jõgevamaa'') is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is situated in eastern part of the country and borders Ida-Viru County to the north-east, Lake Peipus to the east, Tartu County to the south, Viljandi County to the south-we ...

History

Jõgeva was first mentioned in 1599 as ''Jagiwa'' manor, being established only recently on the lands of the same named village by the orders of the

Polish king Poland was ruled at various times either by dukes and princes (10th to 14th centuries) or by kings (11th to 18th centuries). During the latter period, a tradition of Royal elections in Poland, free election of monarchs made it a uniquely electab ...

. During the

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Polish people, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken * Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin ...

reign in Estonia (1582–1622) it was part of Laiuse

starostwo ''Starostwo'' (literally " eldership") is an administrative unit established from the 14th century in the Polish Crown and later in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth until the partition of Poland in 1795. Starostwos were established in the ...

, which became Laiuse

fief A fief (; ) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form of feudal alle ...

during Swedish rule (1622–1721). In 1756, Jõgeva manor became the property of Gotthard Johann von Manteuffel (1690–1763) and remained in the family of von Manteuffel until 1919 when it was nationalized by the government. In 1876, a railway station, named Laisholm after the manor, was established near the village of Jõgeva (). The owner of Jõgeva manor, Ernst Gotthard von Manteuffel (1844–1922), started renting out land around the railway station in 1903. After that, the village grew quickly. On October 13, 1919, Jõgeva became a borough and on 1 May 1938, a town. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

nearly 60% of the town was destroyed. During the

Soviet occupation During World War II, the Soviet Union occupied and annexed several countries effectively handed over by Nazi Germany in the secret Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact of 1939. These included the eastern regions of Poland (incorporated into three differe ...

of Estonia Jõgeva became an important administrative center with several big industries. Many new administrative, commercial and residential buildings were erected at that time.

Demographics

Location

Jõgeva is situated on the right shore of

Pedja River The Pedja () is the fourth longest river in Estonia. Its source is near Simuna on the southern slopes of the Pandivere Upland. The river flows for 122 km through Lääne-Viru, Jõgeva and Tartu counties before joining the Emajõgi north ...

which flows through the city from north to south. Parallel with the river is the Tallinn–Tartu railway line. The major cities

Tartu Tartu is the second largest city in Estonia after Tallinn. Tartu has a population of 97,759 (as of 2024). It is southeast of Tallinn and 245 kilometres (152 miles) northeast of Riga, Latvia. Tartu lies on the Emajõgi river, which connects the ...

and

Tallinn Tallinn is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Estonia, most populous city of Estonia. Situated on a Tallinn Bay, bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, it has a population of (as of 2025) and ...

are respectively 51 and from Jõgeva, both connected through railway as well as through highways.

Nature and climate

Jõgeva is located between big

drumlin A drumlin, from the Irish word ("little ridge"), first recorded in 1833, in the classical sense is an elongated hill in the shape of an inverted spoon or half-buried egg formed by glacial ice acting on underlying unconsolidated till or groun ...

s. The hill of Laiuse is located east from the town. River Pedja passes through the town. Jõgeva has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...

(Dfb). Winters are usually snowy and cold. It is known as the coldest place in Estonia with the lowest temperature of . Summers are mild and often humid, some days the maximum can reach 30°C. Thunder season starts in April and ends usually in the end of October.

Culture

In July Jõgevatreff, an annual bikers reunion takes place. The culmination of the event is the parade of the bikers through the town. In August, the annual Garlic Festival is held. Jõgeva is also regarded as the headquarters of the Estonian Santa Claus.

Sights and buildings

*The house museum of Estonian poet Betti Alver - the house by the railway station where she was born; *Külmasammas - a monument marking the Estonian cold record of recorded in Jõgeva in 1940; *The

Estonian War of Independence The Estonian War of Independence, also known as the War of Freedom in Estonia, was a defensive campaign of the Estonian Army and its allies, most notably the United Kingdom, against the Soviet Russian westward offensive of 1918–1919 and the ...

memorial stone to commemorate the casualties; *The memorial to the casualties of the

; *The memorial to the Estonian deportees during Soviet occupation in 1941 and 1949;

International relations

Twin towns - Sister cities

The former municipality of Jõgeva (until 2017) was twinned with: *

Jonava Jonava () is the ninth largest city in Lithuania with a population of . It is located in Kaunas County in central Lithuania, north east of Kaunas, the second-largest city in Lithuania. It is served by Kaunas International Airport. ''Achema'', t ...

, Lithuania *

Kaarina Kaarina (; , i.e. "Catherine of Alexandria, Saint Catherine's") is a town in Finland, located in the region of Southwest Finland. It lies south of the regional capital, Turku. The population of Kaarina is approximately , while the Turku sub-regi ...

, Finland *

Karlstad Karlstad (, ) is the 20th-largest city in Sweden, the seat of Karlstad Municipality, the capital of Värmland County, and the largest city in the province Värmland in Sweden. The city proper had 67,122 inhabitants in 2020 with 97,233 inhabitan ...

, Sweden *

Keuruu Keuruu (; ) is a List of cities and towns in Finland, town and municipalities of Finland, municipality of Finland. It is located in the provinces of Finland, province of Western Finland and is part of the Central Finland regions of Finland, regio ...

, Finland

Gallery

Betti Alveri mälestusmärk Jõgeval.jpg, Monument to the poet Betti Alver in Jõgeva Jõgeva pangahoone.JPG, Bank in Jõgeva Jõgeva päästekomando hoone.JPG, Fire station and rescue building Jõgeva train station 2005.jpg, Jõgeva railway station Jõgeva.jpg, Jõgeva central square Jõgeva endine jaamahoone.jpg, Old railway station Jõgeva bussijaam.JPG, Bus station Betti Alveri muuseum 2012.JPG, Betti Alver museum Jõgeva Kultuurikeskus.JPG, Cultural center County Government building, Jõgeva.jpg, Jõgeva County government building

Notable people

* Martin Algus (born 1973), actor, screenwriter, playwright and translator, born in Jõgeva *

Vallo Allingu Vallo Allingu (born 11 January 1978 in Jõgeva, Estonia) is a retired Estonian professional basketballer who last played for Tartu Ülikool/Rock at the center position. Allingu started his senior club career with Korvpalli Meistriliiga teams l ...

(born 1978), basketball player, born in Jõgeva *

Saskia Alusalu Saskia Alusalu (born 14 April 1994) is an Estonian speed skater. Alusalu represented Estonia at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. In the 2017/18 World Cup in Calgary, Alusalu achieved by far her best World Cup result to date when she plac ...

(born 1994), speed skater, born in Jõgeva * Betti Alver (1906–1989), poet, born in Jõgeva * Ain Evard (born 1962) high jumper, born in Jõgeva *

Leopold Hansen Leopold-Ottomar Hansen (November 27, 1879 – February 15, 1964) was an Estonian actor and theater director. Early life Leopold Hansen was born at the Antsu farm in Iravere, the son of Mart Hansen (1846–1907) and Maria née Tido (1856–1951 ...

(1879–1964), actor and theater director, lived in Jõgeva as a child * Robin Kool (aka "ropz"; born 1999), esports player, born in Jõgeva *

Aire Koop Aire Koop (until 1987, Aire Johanson; born 30 May 1957) is an Estonian stage, film, and television actress whose career began in the late 1970s. Early life and education Aire Koop was born Aire Johanson in Jõgeva. After graduating from Jõgeva S ...

(born 1957), actress, born in Jõgeva *

Alo Kõrve Alo Kõrve (born 2 December 1978) is an Estonian stage, film, and television actor. Early life and education Alo Kõrve was born in Jõgeva, Jõgeva County to Are Kõrve and his wife (''née'' Simson). He is the youngest of two siblings; his old ...

(born 1978), actor, born in Jõgeva *

Hele Kõrve Hele Kõrve (until 2009, Hele Kõre; born 7 January 1980) is an Estonian stage, television, film and voice actress and singer. Early life and education Hele Kõrve was born Hele Kõre in 1980 in the town of Jõgeva, in Jõgeva County. She graduat ...

(born 1980), actress, born in Jõgeva *

Alo Mattiisen Alo Mattiisen (22 April 1961 – 30 May 1996) was an Estonian musician and composer. One of the most famous melodies that he composed was a patriotic song titled "No land is alone", with lyrics written by the Estonian poet Jüri Leesment. Sev ...

(1961–1996), musician and composer, born in Jõgeva *

Mati Meos Mati Meos, born in Jõgeva, is an Estonian politician and engineer. He was a member of VIII Riigikogu, and a director and founder of the Estonian Aviation Museum. References

Living people 1946 births Estonian engineers Estonian Coal ...

(born 1946), engineer and politician, born in Jõgeva * Erki Pütsep (born 1976), road bicycle racer, born in Jõgeva *

Aleksandr Selevko Aleksandr Selevko (born 23 May 2001) is an Estonian figure skater. He is the 2024 European Figure Skating Championships, 2024 European silver medalist, a two-time ISU Challenger Series bronze medalist, the 2019 Nordic Figure Skating Championships ...

(born 2001), figure skater, born in Jõgeva * Tiit Sukk (born 1974), actor, born in Jõgeva * Alar Varrak (born 1982), basketball player and coach, born in Jõgeva * Luule Viilma (1950–2002), physician, esotericist and parapsychologist, born in Jõgeva *

Igor Volke Igor Volke (19 January 1950 – 14 November 2024) was an Estonian ufologist and researcher of environmental anomalies. In 1985 he founded the organization AKRAK (''Anomaalsete Keskkonnanähtuste Registreerimise ja Analüüsi Komisjon'') for the ...

(born 1950), ufologist and author, born in Jõgeva

References

;Notes

External links

Webcamera in Jõgeva center
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jogeva Cities and towns in Estonia Former municipalities of Estonia Populated places in Jõgeva County Kreis Dorpat 16th-century establishments in Estonia Populated places established in the 16th century