Route map of Pärnu

Lõ

Tallinno130 km

Tallinna mnt

People have been living on these river banks for 11,000 years. In 1251 AD the Pärnu Dome Church of the Saare-Lääne Bishopric was consecrated and the first town on the right bank of the river was founded. Little more than a decade later it was pillaged, so its citizens founded an order town called New Pärnu on the opposite bank of the river. In the 14th century it became a Hanseatic town, and in the 16th century an administrative centre. In the 17th century it was a university town, in the 18th century a merchant town, in the 19th century a summer resort and in the 20th century the summer capital of Estonia – and today, in the 21st century, it is a resort offering unparalleled experiences.

Come and discover everything that the past and present of Pärnu have to offer!

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Published by the Pärnumaa Tourism Foundation and Pärnu City Government.

Translation by Luisa Translation Agency Ltd. Photos by Indrek Aija (cover photo), Elen Juurma, Toomas Olev, Spa Estonia, Spa Tervis, Scandic Rannahotell Design by Areal Disain © 2012

To o

naadi

www.visitparnu.com

Rin

Espla

Uus 4, 80010 Pärnu, Estonia +372 447 3000, +372 5330 4134 info@visitparnu.com, parnu@visitestonia.com

3



Malmö

Pühavaimu

5

1

Nikolai

Pärnu Visitor Centre

2

Children Park

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gi

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Pärnu’s vision is to be a 21st century Baltic Sea resort offering visitors well-being and exciting experiences.

Põhja

Vee

si p

Suur-Jõe

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Munga

RESORT OFFERING UNPARALLELED EXPERIENCES

ni

pte

Pärnu was named the Summer Capital of Estonia in 1996.

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SUMMER CAPITAL

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Akadeemia

In 1835, Pärnu was removed from the list of fortress towns, its fortification walls were demolished and the town rapidly developed beyond its borders. It soon flourished as a resort town, with the first bathing establishment opening its doors here in 1838.

In the footsteps of Olev Siinmaa Pärnu Visitor Centre

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RESORT

Holidaying in Pärnu

2

Sindi 3 km

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FORTRESS CITY In the 17th century, during the Swedish era, Pärnu became a town encircled by a modern system of fortifications designed to protect the property of the Kingdom of Sweden. After the Great Northern War (1700-1721) it served as a marine fortress protecting the western borders of the Russian Empire.

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In the early 14th century Pärnu became a member of the Hanseatic League.

Its port played an important role in trade between Hanseatic hubs in the west and Russia in the east.

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Settlements in what today is known as Pärnu and next to the rivers here were first documented in 1154 by the Arab geographer al-Idrisi. The earliest written documents mentioning the town date from 1251. City rights were granted to Pärnu in 1318.

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Pärnu is the ancient home of the Estonians. One of the first human settlements in the country, by the Pärnu River (the Pulli settlement site), dates back to between 9000 and 8500 BC.

CITY RIGHTS

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PAPSAARE

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Luite

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VANA-PÄRNU

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Traali te e

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p Ho bu se Pü ssi

bi Jako

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ga

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ru An k

tee

Route map of Pärnu

ma

Pilliro o

Sa ug a

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Ne

Kib

Rohu Vilja

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rja

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mnt

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na Va

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Ku re

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ÜLEJÕE Kit

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Ti h

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Re

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Ka ik

p pa

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v ki

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jõe

Pronksi

Terase

Kulla

Kroomi

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R ä ni

Raua

Dear guest,

Pesa

Tina

Liiva

Ku l

Lõ o

HOLIDAYING IN PÄRNU Pärnu is a town which, with its parks and leafy green alleys, is perfectly suited to holidaymaking. There are plenty of opportunities to admire art, express yourself and go on lovely walks or picnics in the park. Feel the culture of today, the scent of the old, and all of the knowledge and romance they unite.

1 Pärnu City Gallery, Uus 4 1.

Tue-Fri 11-17, Sat 11-14, +372 443 6433, info@linnagalerii.ee, www.linnagalerii.ee You will find this gallery on the upper level of the Pärnu Visitor Centre. Located in the heart of the town, the gallery exhibits works of both of Pärnu artists and artists from around the world.

7 Endla Theatre and Theatre Gallery, 7.

Keskväljak 1 Open during performances, café open Mon-Thu 8:30-22, Fri 8:30-24, Sat 11-24, Sun 11-20, on the day of a performance the café closes one hour after the performance, +372 4420666, teater@endla.ee, www.endla.ee The Endla Theatre is located on Central Square, directly opposite the bridge. In addition to plays, you can also enjoy concerts, jazz, exhibitions and fantastic meals here. The Theatre Gallery mainly exhibits the art of the theatre staff. The collections are exhibited in the Sammassaal (Column Hall), in the Küüni Hall lobbies and in the Theatre Café.

3 Mary Magdalene Guild, Uus 5 3.

Tue-Fri 11-17, Sat 11-15, +372 447 1901, info@maarjamagdaleenagild.ee, www.maarjamagdaleenagild.ee The Mary Magdalene Guild in Pärnu was first mentioned in writing at the end of the 15th century. During the 16th century it was turned into a guild for artisans. The building, with its workshops located on different levels, is fascinating to explore. It brings together a large number of craft artists from the town. Here you can watch masters at work, buy or order their art or become an artist yourself.

Open workshops welcome participants on the second Saturday of every month. For private lessons, times should be agreed in advance with the masters.

June-August Mon-Fri 10-18, Sat 10-17, SeptemberMay Mon-Fri 10-19, Sat 10-17, +372 445 5707, pkr@pkr.ee, www.pkr.ee The Pärnu Central Library, located next to the Endla Theatre, showcases Estonian literature. Paintings, photos, sculptures and applied art are exhibited in the ground floor gallery and on the staircase gallery. In 2008, the building was awarded the Architecture Prize by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.

The walk in the city centre takes you into the heart of the historic Pärnu. You will see the most important architectural landmarks, monuments and churches, which will tell you the story of Pärnu, starting from its time as a baroque fortification.

The visitor centre located in Pärnu’s Town Hall is open every day. Summer opening hours are 9-18. In winter (15.09 to 15.05). Mon-Fri 9-17, Sat-Sun 10-14.

The walking path by the beach has transformed itself into an alley of sculptures. It opened in 2001 when the first International Sculpture Day was held and the first exhibits found their way into the park. There are 18 pieces altogether, made of dolomite, steel, cast iron and concrete.

Some of the sculptures are made from trees destroyed in the flood of January 2005.

8 Pärnu Central Library, Akadeemia 3 8.

The historic city centre

1 Town Hall, Uus 4 / Nikolai 3 1.

14 Alley of Sculptures in Beach Park

2 Citizen’s House, Nikolai 8 2.

Wed-Thu 12-18, outside visiting hours and for groups: please call +372 444 8149 or see www.parnu.ee Across the street from the Town Hall Visitor Centre, you will see the only remaining cross-beam building in the town centre, with its steep pitched roof and lattice gable.

The building was constructed from 1738-1740. The house displays the history of the government of Pärnu, the prominent people of the town, the sister cities of Pärnu and historic Hanseatic cities.

pier, as it was built by the order of the Russian Tsarina.

The story goes that the pier stones were brought across the ice from the island of Kihnu and then dropped into the sea through holes cut into the ice. Occasionally the piers are completely covered by the water.

15 15 Ammende Villa, Mere pst 7 Next to Beach Park you will find a villa owned by the merchant Hermann Leopold Ammende which was completed in 1905. It is one of the best examples of the early Art Nouveau style in Estonia. From 1927-1935, a summer casino was located here, and after World War II the building served as a club. During the Soviet era it was used as a medical spa and library. The building was thoroughly renovated in 1999 and now houses an exclusive hotel and restaurant. Ammende Villa is one of the most beloved attractions in Pärnu, combining a world-class hotel and restaurant with a concert and exhibition venue.

The atmosphere of the building is undeniable.

The Town Hall is actually a whole quarter. Its oldest building, the merchant’s house, was built in 1797. In 1806 it served as an accommodation for the Russian Czar Alexander I during his visit to Pärnu. Legend has it that in 1819, on the command of the Czar, the merchant’s house was turned into the house of the commandant of the town. Since 1839, the building has been used as the Town Hall. In 1911 it acquired an Art Nouveau style annex bearing also Neo-Gothic and Neo-Baroque traits.

The annex contained premises of the city council. As of the year 2009, the Town Hall accommodates the Visitor Centre of Pärnu. Nikolai Street is named after the St. Nicholas Church that used to be located here and was destroyed in World War II. A memorial stone has been placed opposite the Town Hall under the oak trees which are the only remains of the church yard. The chapel of St. Nicholas Church was home for a well-known pilgrimage object, the Black Cross. The Black Cross is also depicted on the coat of arms of Pärnu.

2 2. St. Catherine’s Church, Vee 8 St. Catherine’s Church was built by order of the Russian Empress Catherine II. While visiting Pärnu, she was puzzled by the fact that the Orthodox community had only one church (the now destroyed St. John’s Church) at their disposal. Completed in 1768, St. Catherine’s Church is considered to be the most elaborately decorated baroque style church in Estonia, combining the fivedome orthodox church building with antique architecture forms. As such it has influenced orthodox ecclesiastical architecture in all Baltic countries. The church is currently under the authority of the Moscow Patriarchate.

3.

3 Rüütli Street A walk through Children’s Park, situated just opposite St. Catherine’s Church, will bring you to Rüütli Street. This is a pedestrian street loved both by locals and visitors. It is also the main street of historic Pärnu, providing a colourful account of the architecture of the past centuries. Part of the street has been designed to resemble the legendary piers of Pärnu – wave-shaped benches, tall lamps resembling lighthouses and seashell-shaped cobblestones.

10 Pärnu Yacht Club, Lootsi 6 10 4 Pärnu Concert Hall, Aida 4 4.

Mon-Fri 10-18, Sat 10-16, www.concert.ee/parnu In order to find the Pärnu Concert Hall, walk towards the river and bridge. The concert hall was completed in 2002. The building’s construction was inspired by world-famous Estonian conductor Neeme Järvi, in whose life Pärnu has played an important role. The hall is the centre of music life in the town. It also houses a music shop and music school.

The Pärnu Yacht Club is located at the meeting point of Vallikäär (the moat) and the river. The club building, which was extended in 2010, is a great place to have a meal and learn about all things maritime. The sailing simulators and navigation marks on the tables are big favourites among children and adults alike. The historic club was established in 1906 by two tsarist naval officers and led by the Port Commander. A newspaper wrote: “The sight of the boats leaving the grand dock like a flock of white swans was beautiful...”. Today too neither the sight of the yachts nor the optimism of the young sailors has lost its charm.

5 Pärnu Museum, Aida 3 5.

Tue-Sun 11-19, +372 443 3231, info@parnumuuseum.ee, www.parnumuuseum.ee You will find the Pärnu Museum right next to the concert hall. The museum’s permanent exhibition – “11,000 years of history – experiences from times past” – provides an overview of the town and the history of the county, from the oldest settlement in Estonia (dating back to the Stone Age) to the present day. The atmosphere of the past is resurrected through genuine objects, new knowledge, games and special displays. In addition to an overview of history, visitors can experience the tastes of different eras in the museum café.

11 University of Tartu Pärnu College, 11

Ringi 35 Behind the yacht club on Ringi Street you will find the intriguing building of Pärnu College. The modern school building was completed in 1999, celebrating the 300th anniversary of the opening of an institution providing higher education in the town. The red brick building (2001), now accommodating the school library, is a former industrial building of the Auster cork factory. In front of the building is a sundial (2004) and a sculpture called “Compass” (1999) designed by Hannes Starkopf.

Tue-Fri 12-18, Sat 12-16, +372 443 6433, info@linnagalerii.ee, www.linnagalerii.ee Walking towards Supeluse Street you will pass by the Artists House, located in a Functionalist villa built in the 1930s. In addition to exhibition halls, the house accommodates artists’ studios. Participation in workshops requires prior registration.

6 Lydia Koidula Memorial Museum, 6.

Jannseni 37 Tue-Sat 10-17, summer Tue-Sat 10-18 +372 443 3313, +372 443 3313, info@pernau.ee, www.pernau.ee Take a walk over the bridge to visit a museum bearing the name of one of Estonia’s most famous writers. The museum is only 10-minute walk from the bridge. It is dedicated to the memory of Lydia Koidula and her father, who was a school master and the founder of the first Estonian-language weekly newspaper. It also showcases life in Estonia in the context of the national awakening. The permanent exhibition offers a glimpse into a typical 19th century classroom. In the study, you can find out about the history of Estonian journalism.

The dining room paints a picture of life in the period and of the domestic atmosphere of the family.

13 Pärnu Pier 13 The pier, starting on the left bank of the river, has become one of the best known symbols of Pärnu. Legend has it that lovers who kiss at the far end of the pier will stay together forever. In 1863 and 1864 two stone piers, each stretching 2 km out into the sea, were built at the mouth of the Pärnu River. When water levels are low, the tops of the poles of the wooden pier built in 1769 can be seen.

This part of the pier is called the ‘old ram’ or Catherine’s

21 21 Health Trail In 2007 the resort celebrated its 170th anniversary. A new attraction, the health trail, was opened starting from Beach Park and winding its way along Pärnu beach and the coast. The trail can be used all year round. It is ideal for walking (Nordic and otherwise) and rollerblading. The trail is marked by wooden poles indicating the distance you have covered.

Rüütli 21/23 Merchant Mohr’s house on Rüütli Street, built in 1681, was one of the first houses to face the street with its side wall instead of the end wall. The house got its Classicistic look after the reconstruction in 1820.

Both Karl XII and the Empress Catherine II have stayed here. There is a horseshoe attached to the triangular gable roof of the house. According to a legend it was lost by a horse belonging to the Swedish King Karl XII. In the backyard of the house you’ll find an old barn equipped with hatches for goods. In front of the main house, on the street, there is the bronze statue of J.V. Jannsen, a school master and the founder of the Estonian-language newspaper. The statue is facing the editorial house of the local newspaper across the street.

5 Tallinn Gate and Vallikäär (Moat) 5.

At the end of Kuninga Street you’ll find the only surviving rampart gates of 17th century in the Baltic countries.

Until 1710 they were called Carl Gustav (King) Gates.

The gates mark the starting point of the postal road to Tallinn. There used to be a bridge over the moat taking the postal road along Ringi Street to the raft-crossing place and then through Old Pärnu to Tallinn. After the military fortifications were destroyed in the 19th century, it was decided to preserve the gate building, complete with two bastions and the moat between them – the rampart as a protection against storms, the moat as a winter port.

In 2010, Vallikäär received a new look: now there are illuminated walking paths on the rampart, a beautiful fountain in the middle of the moat and a wonderful park to attract holidaymakers. Near the gate there is a model of the Pärnu fortress city, presenting the city of that time period, its fortifications and what’s left of it. The model is a part of the walking tour concentrating on the 15th to 19th-century fortifications of Pärnu.

The health trail partly overlaps the beach promenade, which was completed in 2006. Winding its way along the beach, this romantic promenade will surprise you with its use of different forms and materials and the playfulness of its fountains. The lights of the promenade keep people on the beach well after sunset. Rain or shine, locals and visitors alike love to stroll along the promenade.

6 Tavern Postipoiss, Vee 12 6.

19 Beach Park 19 Supeluse Street, which is the main artery of Pärnu’s resort life, ends at the historic building of the former Pärnu Mud Baths (see Siinmaa trail no. 5) and Beach Park. The planning of the park was launched in 1882 by Mayor Brackmann.

Up to that point the area had been a meadow, mainly used by locals. Although Pärnu at the time was a small town, the park was modelled on those in big cities. The project was commissioned from the Director of Parks of Riga. A nursery was established in the town, and a town gardener was hired. Today the park covers 48.4 hectares, stretching from the pier all the way to the extension on Side Street. The park was declared a nature reserve area in 1958. Thanks to a makeover in 2010, Beach Park’s fresh look enchants with its paths, fountains, picnic areas and playgrounds.

In the footsteps of Olev Siinmaa On this walking tour you will admire the best examples of Estonia’s Functionalist architecture. The buildings were designed by Olev Siinmaa, Pärnu city architect from 1925-1944. He gave the resort its unique look.

New residential areas, restaurants, cafés and bathing facilities were built and the landscape of Beach Park took form. Siinmaa, who started out following the Classicist tradition, became one of the most renowned Functionalists in Estonia, with an enormous impact on the history of the nation’s architecture.

1 Siinmaa residence, Rüütli 1a 1.

One of the most stylish examples of the work of Olev Siinmaa is this house, on a small triangular piece of land on Rüütli Street. Built in 1933 for Siinmaa himself and designed as a practical residence for his family, the house became the pearl of Estonian Functionalism. Every detail was carefully considered, inside and out. He set the house against the side wall of the neighbouring building and, in so doing, found room for a front garden in the corner.

Today, the interior design still contains many items of original Functionalist furniture.

2 Jakobson Villa, Lõuna 2a 2.

Walking towards the beach you will come to the Jakobson Villa. Built according to the designs of Siinmaa, working with architect Anton Soans, from 1933-1936, this is one of the smartest Functionalist villas in Estonia. The space around the house is divided into separate areas using fences, walls and terraces, thus creating interaction between the architecture and landscape. Behind the façade of the villa, which is an outstanding example of modern geometric compositional design, you will find a brilliant, rational floor plan. Part of the original interior design remains to this day.

10 10 Lydia Koidula Monument

Olev Siinmaa (a.k.a. Oskar Siiman until 1936) was born on 12 November 1881 in Pärnu into the family of a joinery shop owner. He studied interior and furniture design from 19111914 at the Wismar and Konstanz Technical Schools in Germany. After graduating he worked as an architect in Lübeck. In 1921 he returned to Estonia, working for the Darmer Lumber Industry and Construction Company. From 1925-1944 he worked as the city architect of Pärnu. He then moved to Sweden, where he worked as the vice architect of Norrköping. He died on 29 March 1948 in the same city.

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5 Mud Baths, Ranna pst 1 Standing by the Resort Hall, you will catch a glimpse of one of the symbols of Pärnu – the mud baths building, construction of which was completed in 1927. This is a wonderful example of Siinmaa’s Classicist period. The dominant feature of the building, designed in collaboration with Erich von Wolffeldt and Aleksander Nürnberg, is the main entrance and its columns. The decorative elements on the façade of the two wings were made by sculptor Voldemar Mellik (1887-1949). The furniture, also designed

by Siinmaa, has unfortunately since been destroyed. In summer 2013 a modern new spa hotel will open in the historic building.

In the middle of a beautiful park you’ll find the statue of Lydia Koidula, the famous poetess and writer during Estonia’s awakening. She is also the author of the first play in Estonian. The statue of Lydia Koidula (maiden name Lydia Emilie Florentine Jannsen; 1843-1886) was made in 1929 by sculptor Amandus Adamson and remained his last piece of work.

11 The former Boys` Secondary School and 11 the gym of the downtown schools, Kuninga 29 Next to Koidula Park, there is the former Boys Secondary School. The building was completed in 1875. It currently houses the Elementary School of Kuninga Street of Pärnu.

The strict Neo-Renaissance brick building influenced by symmetrical features of post-Classicistic architecture was built in 1870-1875. Alexander Boulevard lined with Dutch cottonwood trees used to take you all the way from here to the post road to Riga. Heads of state, ministers, etc., of the Republic of Estonia have attended the Boys Secondary School. There is a memorial plate for them in the entrance hall. In front of the school house, a weeping elm has been planted in memory of Jüri Vilms, an Estonian statesman (1889-1918). Also the bust of Estonian chess player Paul Keres (1916-1975) is located there. The gym built in this millennium, with its windows reflecting the old school house, and its walls penetrated only by small glass-covered holes glowing in the dark, is a perfect complement to the historic school building.

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3 Villas on Toominga and Seedri Streets Before reaching the Tervis medical spa, you will pass villas with erect gable roofs on Toominga and Seedri Streets, again designed by former city architect Olev Siinmaa. Built from 1932-1934, this residential area of 16 houses has more or less preserved its original look: high cross gable stone and shingle roofs, decorative gardens in front of the houses, large rectangular lots and green courtyards. Adjacent to Ammende Villa, Seedri Street ends with a contemporary set of white villas designed

by Kalle Vellevoog.

4 Outdoor Band Stage, Mere pst 24 4.

Continue your walk towards the beach and you will reach the centre of Tsarist era resort life – the Resort Hall. Here you will also find an outdoor band stage, built in 1937.

The stage, designed by Siinmaa in 1936, was an elegant interpretation of Pärnu’s “resort functionalism” in wood.

Unfortunately, renovations carried out in the 1980s meant it has lost much of its former elegance.

12 Orthodox Church of Transfiguration of Our Lord, Aia 5 Situated opposite the former Boys Secondary School, there is the historic Orthodox Church of the Transfiguration of Our Lord. The cross-shaped building was completed in 1904. The church belongs under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. The interior of the church contains iconostasis with 11 icons and wall paintings with 11 figural compositions.

6 Newsstand and children’s playground 6. pavilion in Beach Park As city architect, Siinmaa also designed small buildings: beach pavilions, newsstands and the like. There are two such objects that stand out – a newsstand designed in 1939 and the pavilion of the children’s playground in Beach Park designed in 1940. The present newsstand, which is a true copy of the original, accommodates a tourist information point in summer.

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7 Beach House, Ranna pst 3 The Beach House, completed in the summer of 1939, is one of the best examples of Functionalist holiday resort architecture in Pärnu. The café, with its large display windows and porthole-style apertures, features an intriguing mushroom-like balcony, providing shade beneath and a sun deck above. It was the first construction in the Baltic States made entirely from reinforced concrete. The whole building features stark concrete surfaces imitating the texture of wood. Today it is used as a night club and restaurant. The promenade makes its way along the sandy beach, starting from the Beach House.

13 Rüütli Square

22 Beach Promenade

12 Tervis Medical Spa Hotel, Seedri 6 12 Opposite the college is the grand building complex of the Tervis (“Health”) medical spa. The buildings originate from different eras. Tervis is the biggest spa complex in Estonia. In addition to resort treatments, rehabilitation and relaxation services, there is also a sauna centre.

20 Resort Hall (Kuursaal), Mere pst 22 20 Next to Beach Park you will come to the heart of resort life in the Tsarist era – the Resort Hall, which was completed in 1880. During its more than one hundred years of life, the building has been used for many purposes, including a dance hall and cinema. Having been repeatedly renovated, it is currently home to the largest pub in Estonia. The outdoor band stage (see Siinmaa trail no.

4) is a popular venue for music events in summer. Next to the hall is a bronze statue of beloved musician and composer Raimond Valgre (1913-1949). The statue was unveiled in the summer of 2003 as part of Valgre’s 90th birthday celebrations. You can listen to the composer’s most popular melodies while admiring the statue.

17 The Artists House, Nikolai 27 17

18 Spa Estonia Sauna Centre, Sääse 7 18 Every day 6:30-22, +372 447 6870, estonia@spaestonia.ee, www.spaestonia.ee Walking along Supeluse Street you will see the Estonia Medical Spa Hotel’s Therms sauna and pool centre. This two-storey building is equipped with pools with massaging falls and shower cascades, a children’s pool for the youngest family members, a complex of steam saunas, a Sento area with salt and steam saunas and a Japanese bath, a Finnish sauna, Vichy showers, massage baths and a Kneipp hot and cold water track.

Kuninga 24 is the address of the oldest stone house on this street. The house has been reconstructed several times. This is a typical Baroque-style merchant’s house with a mantel chimney and a symmetrical ground plan. The building was restored in 1978–1982 in the 18th-century style.

Kuninga 26. The horizontal beam building located at 26 Kuninga Street was probably built at the beginning of the 18th century when Pärnu was under the jurisdiction of Russia. During that period it was prohibited to use stones for construction outside St. Petersburg, the imperial capital of Russia.

Kuninga 28. The rubble stone building at 28 Kuninga Street was built in 1696–1700. In 1762, the house was purchased by a merchant and an alderman, Jacob Jacke.

The first consular office (Swedish) in Pärnu was also opened in the building. The merchant’s office operated here until the company closed down in 1939.

Before reaching Koidula Park, you’ll walk past the Hotel Victoria and Café Grand. The commercial building complex built in 1923 also includes a courtyard house and a romantic sales pavilion. In 1928 according to O. Siinmaa’s project, it was redesigned as a hotel (Grand Hotel) with the Café Grand on the ground floor.

9 Venus Bastion Smithy, Õhtu 1, Vallikäär 9.

16 Museum of New Art, Esplanaadi 10 16 June-August Mon-Sun 9-21, September-May MonSun 9-19, +372 443 0772, muuseum@chaplin.ee, www.chaplin.ee On Esplanaadi Street you will find a museum of modern art that was founded in 1992. It surprises visitors with its intriguing exhibitions. The collection consists of over 400 works and 1200 documentaries in the video library. The museum is famous for its tradition of an annual international exhibition of nudes entitled “Man and Woman” and for hosting the Pärnu International Documentary Film Festival. The museum has a public internet point, a café and a small shop selling art goods, books and souvenirs.

8 Former Merchants Houses in Baroque 8. style in Kuninga Street

9 Hotel Victoria, Kuninga 25 9.

4 Merchant Mohr’s house and barn, May-September Mon-Sun 11-18, October-April Thu-Sun 11-18, +372 510 6657, info@sepakunst.com, www.sepakunst.com Behind the library, near the former bastion tower by Vallikäär (the moat), there is an old smithy. This is one of the oldest buildings in Pärnu, dating back to the 18th century. You can watch the blacksmith at work, try to forge something yourself or order and buy ironwork here.

St. Elizabeth’s Church was inaugurated in 1750 and was dedicated to St. Elizabeth in honour of the Russian Empress Elizabeth, who had financed the construction. The oldest theatre house of the town, called “Küün” (Barn), was located by the south wall of the church.

The walk along Vee Street brings you to the Tavern Postipoiss, which serves Slavic food. Although the house looks like a tavern, it was originally built in 1834 in a typical Russian butcher-shop style. In 1844, the house was redesigned into a post station for mail couriers on horseback. The building was renovated in 1978.

Walking down Aia Street past Pärnu Museum you will find yourself on Rüütli Square. The site of the Pärnu Hotel used to be the location of the former building of the Endla Theatre. This fact is remembered by a memorial stone in front of the hotel in Aia Street. On 23 February 1918, “The Declaration of Estonian Independence” was read out on the balcony of the theatre building for the first time. On the 90th anniversary of this event, the Statue of Liberty resembling the now destroyed theatre house balcony was placed on Rüütli Square. On the river side of the square, you will see the pompous bank building constructed in 1939. The location of the former station house on the side of the bank building is designated by a steam locomotive built in 1911 and a flatcar built in 1913.

Both objects were placed there on the 110th anniversary of the opening of the first Estonian narrow-gauge railway (Pärnu-Valga line).

15 15 Residential and commercial building, Rüütli 45 On the corner of Rüütli and Hommiku Streets, you’ll find an interesting Gothic-style brick building constructed in two phases: in the 1890s, the corner part of Rüütli and Hommiku Streets was built, and by 1904, the extension along Rüütli Street was completed. At different times, the building has accommodated shops, a warehouse, residential premises, a cafeteria, a casino, a hotel and office spaces. Today, shops are operating in the house.

16 Red Tower, Hommiku 11 16 Behind the gate opening to Hommiku Street, there is a 15th century prison at the southeast corner of the city wall. This is the only defence tower left from the medieval Hanseatic city of New-Pärnu. The tower got its name by the red lining covering both its inside and outside. In 1624, the tower had four floors and a six-meter deep prison floor. Three floors have been preserved. The Red Tower was restored in 1973-1980 without its original brick lining.

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8 Beach Hotel, Ranna pst 5 Pärnu became a fashionable resort town after the completion of the grandiose Beach Hotel in 1937. The building is a brilliant example of modern holiday resort architecture. By drawing upon the ideas submitted in a 1934 competition, Olev Siinmaa and Anton Soans drew up the final plans.

The building, located in Beach Park, is elegant from all sides. The balconied seaside façade is open to the sun and sea, while the inland façade is enclosed, with narrow strip windows in the passageways. An appropriate allusion to a ship heading out to sea is accomplished by the rounded finish given to the central part of the building.

The southern annex was completed in 1938.

17 Seegi House, Hospidali 1 23 Tervise Paradiis Water Centre, Side 14

Summer (June-August) 10-22, other times 11-22 At the end of the beach promenade you will come to the most modern spa hotel in town – Tervise Paradiis. This is where you will find the biggest water park in Estonia, with activities for water lovers of all ages. The boldest of visitors are welcomed by a 4-metre diving platform, but everyone riding the waterslides and torrential mountain rivers will be sure to get a fun shot of adrenaline. The water park also boasts pools, hot tubs, waterfalls, saunas, an aqua bar, a warm-water outdoor pool (also open in winter) and a summer terrace.

14 Former Girls` College, Rüütli 40 14 7 St.Elizabeth`s Church, Nikolai 22 7.

Taking the turn to Kuninga Street brings the tower of St. Elizabeth’s Church into sight. The church is a popular concert place and its organs are considered to be among the best in Estonia. The church was built in 1744-1747 and is now one of the most outstanding ecclesiastical buildings in Estonia.

On the corner of Rüütli and Ringi Streets, there is the first building that was built outside the city wall – the former Girls College, built in 1866. Later, the building was turned into a commercial building and an annex, and the city drugstore was erected. During the Soviet times the building was used as a club for Soviet officers.

From the courtyard of the Red Tower you can make your way to the Seegi House (the Almshouse) on Hospidali Street. There was a building on this site in the 13th century, thus being the oldest building site in Pärnu. The house acquired its present form in 1658 and started to function as an almshouse and a hospital poorhouse.

The house has been renovated in the 17th-century style.

In 1999 it opened its doors as a medieval restaurant, Seegi Maja.

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9 Residential area on Papli-Kaarli Street On Kaarli and Papli Streets you will see villas built in the style characteristic of Siinmaa. The planning of this private residential area, built from 1934-1936, was based on the high transverse gabled roof buildings.