Elva is a city and municipality in Tartu County, Estonia. There
are two large lakes in Elva. Lake Verevi has a sandy and
well-developed beach area that is very popular in the summer and
hosts many outdoor activities. Lake Arbi has damp, reedy shores.
Elva's largest employer (and throughout South Estonia) is Enics
Eesti AS, a subsidiary of the Enics Group, providing electronics
manufacturing services in the field of industrial electronics. Elva
has one school, Elva Gümnaasium, offering education from 1st grade
to high school graduation.
The dominant element in Elva is
the train station, which today serves as an information center for
visitors and which in past centuries was an important trade route.
For more information on hiking and cycling, please contact the
Visitor Information Center. The Elva River, with its old mills and
fast-flowing banks, is popular with canoeing enthusiasts. In winter,
skiers can take part in the Tartu Marathon, part of the Worldloppet
series. In summer, mountain bikes are available on its 60 km long
trail from Otepää to Elva.
Tartu County Museum
The Tartu County Museum (formerly the Elva
Museum of Local Lore and the Elva Interdistrict Museum of Internal
Affairs) was founded in 1959 in the town of Elva.
The postal
address of the museum was Elva, Pikk street 2. It had two branches:
the Leopold Hansen House-Museum of the actor Vanemuine at 10
Vanemuine, and the Artist Eduard Kutsar House-Museum at Kerner 4.
The branches were located in houses donated to the museum by Hansen
and Kutsar ... The last director of the museum was Kadri Kivari,
chief curator of Indrek Merimaa.
According to the statutes,
the main task of the museum was "To evaluate the history, culture
and natural history of Tartu County as one of the historical and
cultural regions of Estonia for the benefit of society and its
participation in society."
The museum belonged to the
Ministry of Culture. In recent years, a move to Alatskivi Castle has
been considered, but this has led to opposition from Elva. In 2012
it was decided to move the museum to Elva. However, negotiations
between the Ministry of Culture and the city of Elva reached an
impasse. According to the ministry, the city of Elva made demands
that violated the Law on State Property, and the city did not want
to take on the current staff of the Tartu County Museum.
According to the mayor of Elva Toomas Järveoja, the city planned to
sell two branches and isolate the headquarters of the museum for the
money received. However, the city did not want to take over the
museum in the state, where, according to the Ministry of Culture, it
did not meet the requirements and thus soon threatened the city with
the admonitions of several authorities.
Closing the museum
After the failure of negotiations, the ministry decided to close the
museum. This was justified, on the one hand: “The goals, actual
content and possibilities of the museum created by the Elvin
Interregional Museum of Local Lore do not correspond to each other,
and the regional features and sights of Tartu County are more
clearly marked in other places. will be able to meet the needs of
the district by providing museum services. "
“The
repositories are overflowing, the active replenishment of
collections has been stopped due to lack of space. Storage
conditions do not meet the requirements for temperature and
humidity, but heating costs are unreasonably high. In recent years,
due to the economic downturn, the number of museum employees has
decreased. in the explanatory note to the closure project.
Most of the museum collections were donated to the Estonian National
Museum on January 31, 2013, and the collection of objects and the
archive of actor Leopold Hansen was donated to the Tartu City
Museum. Three objects of the museum were transferred to the State
Real Estate.
Elva church
Elva Church - Lutheran church on
Elgi Street in Elva. The church is used by the Elk community of Elk,
and the building was designed by the architect of the city of Tartu,
Arved Eichhorn († 1922).
Lake Verevi
Lake Verevi (in
Estonian Verevi järv; also known as Lake Elva or Elva Suurjärv) is
an 11.7 hectares (29 acres) lake located on the western side of the
city of Elva in southern Estonia. There is one main dock with two
slides (red and blue) side by side. The large dock has a closed area
specially designed for swimming with two trampolines. There is a
rescue house nearby where you can get first aid or other basic
necessities. During the summer, there are many tourist attractions,
with its beautiful grounds and surrounding forests.
Lake Arbi
Lake Arbi (in Estonian Arbi järv) is a 6 hectare (15 acre) lake in
the center of Elva in southern Estonia. The lake is 42.5 m (139 ft)
above sea level.
Early Origins and Name Legends
The history of Elva, a town in
Tartu County, Estonia, begins with its natural features, particularly
the Elva River, which has been documented as early as the 17th century.
The name "Elva" is derived from this river, though local legends offer
colorful explanations for its origins. Some tales associate the name
with thunder ("elva" sounding similar to Estonian words for lightning or
storm), while others link it to the area's early development as a summer
cottage retreat, evoking a sense of leisure and nature. These legends
reflect Elva's identity as a picturesque "pinetown," surrounded by pine
forests, lakes like Verevi and Arbi, and a diversified landscape that
includes parts of Lake Võrtsjärv, Estonia's second-largest lake. Prior
to modern settlement, the region was likely inhabited or used by local
Estonian communities, but no major archaeological or historical records
indicate significant pre-17th-century developments specific to the site
of modern Elva. The area was part of the broader historical Livonia
region, influenced by Baltic German landowners and the shifting powers
of medieval and early modern Estonia, including Swedish and Russian
rule.
Founding and Early Development (Late 19th to Early 20th
Century)
Elva's formal establishment as a settlement dates to 1889,
coinciding with the completion of the Tartu-Valga railway line between
1886 and 1889, which connected Riga and Tartu. The railway station
became a pivotal hub, spurring rapid growth as a summer resort and
vacation destination. This infrastructure not only facilitated trade and
travel but also attracted visitors seeking the area's natural beauty,
including its forests, rivers, and lakes suitable for canoeing and
hiking. By the early 20th century, Elva had evolved into a popular
retreat, drawing around 1,700 visitors in 1935, many from Scandinavia.
Key early milestones include the establishment of a two-grade school in
1913, reflecting the growing community's need for education. Medical
services also emerged, with records of healthcare provision dating back
to 1895, laying the groundwork for what would become a hospital in 1945.
The town's romantic wooden station building, constructed in 1889,
symbolizes this foundational era and now serves as a visitors'
information center. In 1920, a church was built, later enhanced in 1995
with a unique vitreous altarpiece. Elva officially gained town (city)
rights on May 1, 1938, marking its transition from a railway village to
a recognized urban center.
World War II and Occupation
(1939–1945)
The outbreak of World War II profoundly impacted Elva. As
Estonia was occupied first by the Soviet Union in 1940 and then by Nazi
Germany in 1941, the town experienced significant upheaval. In July
1941, Elva was briefly liberated by the Forest Brothers, Estonian
partisan fighters resisting Soviet rule. However, the town's center
suffered heavy damage from bombings and fighting. In August 1944, the
surrounding areas became a fierce battlefield between German forces,
including Hyazinth von Strachwitz's Panzer brigade, and the advancing
Red Army. This period of destruction left lasting scars on the
community's infrastructure and population.
Soviet Era and
Administrative Changes (1945–1991)
Post-war, under Soviet occupation,
Elva underwent reconstruction and administrative reorganization. From
1950 to 1962, it served as the administrative center of the Elva
district, highlighting its regional importance. Town rights, lost during
the war, were restored in 1965. The era was marked by deportations and
repression; in 1988, during celebrations for the settlement's 100th
anniversary and the 50th anniversary of its town status, a "city stone"
was unveiled as a memorial to victims of Soviet deportations to Siberia
in 1941 and 1949. Despite the challenges, Elva maintained its appeal as
a resort town, with its natural surroundings—pine forests, lakes, and
the Elva River with its old water mill sites—continuing to draw
visitors. The hospital, formalized in 1945, expanded its role in
healthcare. Culturally, the town nurtured talents in literature, arts,
and sports, including notable figures like writer Ain Kaalep, playwright
Hugo Raudsepp, and singer Kerli.
Post-Independence and Modern Era
(1991–Present)
Following Estonia's regained independence in 1991,
Elva focused on revitalization and integration into the European
context. The town has preserved its summer resort character, with
attractions like the sandy beach at Lake Verevi and winter events such
as the Tartu Marathon, a 60 km ski race passing through Elva as part of
the Worldloppet series. Hiking and biking trails, including those in the
Vapramäe-Vellavere-Vitipalu area, have boosted tourism. Economically,
the largest employer is GPV Estonia AS, an electronics manufacturing
firm. In 2017, Elva Parish was formed through the merger of Elva town
with surrounding rural municipalities (Konguta, Puhja, Rannu, and Rõngu
Parishes), expanding the administrative area to 731.16 km² and a
population of about 14,000. This reform strengthened regional governance
while maintaining Elva town's central role. Today, with a population of
5,692 (as of 2024), Elva is 95.3% Estonian and features seven
neighborhoods: Arbimäe, Järve, Kesklinn, Kulbilohu, Mahlamäe, Moonuse,
and Peedu. It has international twin towns in Finland, Sweden, and
Georgia, fostering cultural exchanges. Sports remain vibrant, with FC
Elva in football and alumni like cyclists Caspar Austa and Kalle Kriit.
Education is centered at Elva Gümnaasium, serving all grades.
Elva's
history encapsulates Estonia's broader narrative: from rural origins and
industrial sparks to wartime devastation, Soviet control, and modern
resurgence as a nature-focused community. Its enduring appeal lies in
blending historical charm with outdoor recreation, making it a
quintessential Estonian resort town.