Jõhvi is the capital of Ida-Virumaa County, one of the cities of
Eastern Estonia. Jõhvi is not rich in sights: in addition to the
mediocre medieval church, it is worth seeing the post-war town hall and
shopping, which is unexpectedly plentiful for such a tiny town.
Jõhvi
is located on the eastern edge of the Kohtla-Jarve industrial
agglomeration. Many people associate the name of the city with the
Estonian word "cranberry" (jõhvikas), but professional linguists call
these speculations a spreading cranberry and continue to look for more
serious or at least scientific versions. The first mention of Jyhvi is
found in the Danish chronicle of 1241, but in the following centuries
absolutely nothing happened here, so all later sources mention a
free-standing stone church, and several houses around. The development
of the village began at the end of the XVIII century, when the postal
route leading from St. Petersburg to Tallinn shifted from the seashore
inland to the place of the modern road. In 1870, the railway to Paldiski
was built, and until the road to Tartu was built, Jyhvi was a place of
transshipment of goods from trains to carts. Nevertheless, Jõhvi still
could not claim to be a city, secondary educational institutions and
other public organizations appeared here only after the revolution.
In 1938, Jõhvi received the status of a city, then underwent severe
destruction during the war, and after the war it became the center of a
separate district. The development of shale deposits forced the
unification of Jyhvi with Kohtla-Jarve, which greatly upset local
residents, so when Estonia fought for independence from the Soviet Union
in the late 80s, the residents of Jyhvi fought for independence from
Kohtla-Jarve and succeeded - one of the first decisions of the Estonian
government was to restore the urban status of Jõhvi. Moreover, after the
administrative reform, Jõhvi turned out to be the center of Ida-Virumaa
county, that is, the whole of eastern Estonia. No one knows exactly why
this happened: maybe a significant proportion of the Estonian population
(33%) played a role, more than in all the surrounding cities. The city
is mostly Russian-speaking, but retains reverence for the state
language.
Modern Jõhvi is a boring town that is formally
independent from Kohtla—Jarve, but owes its existence to the local shale
industry. In Jõhvi itself there is only a dairy and other light
industries. From a tourist point of view, the city is decidedly
uninteresting and looks more like a working village — it does not even
have the gloomy industrial flavor of Kohtla-Jarve. On the other hand,
this is where the infrastructure is concentrated and the railway station
is located, so if you decide to explore the Estonian shale basin, you
will not miss Jõhvi.
Tourist Information Center, Rakvere 13a. ☎
+372 (33) 7-05-68. Mon–Fri 12:00 – 17:00, in summer also Sat 10:00 –
15:00.
1 St. Michael's Church, Viru 2. The Lutheran Church is the oldest
building in Jyhvi and also the largest single-vaulted church in Estonia.
This is a defensive-type church, although the local concept of defensive
architecture is very different from the Belarusian one, which turned
rural churches into small castles with bastions and towers. St.
Michael's Church cannot boast of anything like this — it has only a
small moat, and the walls are thicker than usual. The dating is quite
typical for Estonia: the foundation of the building dates back to the
middle of the XIV century, the reconstruction lasted until the XIX
century. Inside there is a nice decoration with lots of carved wooden
ornaments. Another pride of the church is the presence of two organs at
once, which can be played simultaneously. This is not done at normal
times, but sometimes special concerts for two organs without an
orchestra are held in Yyhvi.
2 Epiphany Church , Narva mnt. 2a. ✉
The Orthodox Church of Jõhvi was built in 1895 in a modernist style by
the standards of that time — from large gray cobblestones fastened with
a brick "frame". This is an ordinary Orthodox church of the Moscow
Patriarchate, but with the exception of one curious detail — in the 50s,
the local rector was the future Patriarch Alexy II, who later went to be
promoted to Tartu and Tallinn.
3 Monument to Alexy II, Narva mnt.
2a. The monument to Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia was
unveiled on September 14, 2020 on the territory of the Church of the
Epiphany, who was rector of the Yikhva Temple for seven years (1950-57).
4 The Town Hall, Narva mnt. 2a. The Town Hall in Jõhvi is one of
the examples of adapting the Stalinist style to local architectural
traditions. The disgustingly dull grey building is topped with a white
turret, which is clearly borrowed from the Tallinn Town Hall and
somewhat enlivens the landscape. Houses at Keskväljak 7 and 8, dating
back to the same era, are also of interest on the Town Hall square.
Since 2005, a monument to General Alexander Tynisson, the hero of the
Liberation War (1918-1920), has been erected on the square.
5
Windmill. An authentic windmill of the XIX century stands in the middle
of a field west of Jõhvi — behind the cemetery and a little south of the
interchange where Rakvere tn adjoins highway 1.
6 Cemetery, Rakvere
tn (Kalmistu stop on any bus towards the center of Kohtla Jarve). In the
city cemetery you can see the chapel of 1798, built in the style of
asceticism brought to the limit. From the outside, it looks more like a
barn. At the far end of the cemetery is the mass grave of Soviet
soldiers and the accompanying memorial with a hammer and sickle.
7
Monument to the hedgehog, Rakvere tn. 13a. A hedgehog made of scrap
metal is installed in the center of Jõhvi and either symbolizes the
purity of the city (according to the official version), or perpetuates a
fragment of the tale of Kalevipoeg, in which the hedgehog suggested to
the epic hero how best to beat enemies, as a reward for which he
received his prickly fur coat. The mythical grave of Kalevipoeg is
located near Jõhvi.
8 Commemorative sign "100 years of football in
Jõhvi" (100 aastat Jõhvi jalgpalli). In 2020, the Phoenix football club
installed a memorial sign near the promenade next to the stadium with
the inscription "100 years of football in Jõhvi", and on July 20, 2022,
forged football boots and a ball were added to it (the work of Oleg
Kuznetsov and Alexander Gizha).
Since 2008, the international folklore festival "Slavic Light" has
been held in the city every summer, where many ensembles from Russia,
Estonia, Belarus and other countries perform.
1 Museum, Rakvere
6 (in the church). ☎ +372 (33) 7-00-13. Tue–Sat 11:00 – 16:00. €2. It is
located right in the basement of the current church, where Cistercian
monks held services in ancient times. The history and archaeology are
presented — mainly what concerns the church itself and its defensive
function. The exposition is quite small, but if you are lucky, you can
take a tour.
2 Concert Hall, Pargi 40 (behind the railway). ☎ +372
(33) 4-20-03. Ticket office: Mon–Fri 10:00 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 – 16:00.
In the past, the October Recreation Center, and now the center of urban
cultural life with a concert hall, a cinema, an art gallery and its own
cafe.
3 Sports complex, Hariduse 5 (behind the railway).
4 City Stadium, Pargi 1 (near the Concert Hall). The stadium is the
home field of the Phoenix Football Club, which plays in the lower
divisions of the Estonian football league system.
5 National Museum
of Football History of Jõhvi (Jõhvi rahva jalgpallimuuseum) , Jaama 6.
✉ ☎ +3725137727. 10:00-13:00. 0. In 2020, through the efforts of
enthusiasts Sergei Ivanov and Vladislav Naumov, the national Museum of
the history of Jõhvi football was opened, and in December 2022, the
museum moved to the Yyhvi center at Jaama 6 (former police station). Now
the museum has a large number of books, cups, medals, balls, football
equipment and autographed photographs of famous football players.
1 Railway Station , Jaama 21. Jõhvi Station is located 300 meters
west of the city center. The post-war station is closed, abandoned and
under threat of demolition. Tallinn—Narva trains pass through Jyhvi five
times a day. From Tallinn 2 hours, from Narva 35 minutes.
2 Bus
Station, Narva mnt. 8. Mon–Fri 7:30 – 20:00, Sat–Sun 8:00 – 20:00. The Jõhvi
Bus Station is built into a shopping mall, the roof of which is also a
canopy over the platforms, which is extremely atypical for Estonia.
Inside there is a tiny hall with cash registers and several rows of
shops, as well as an R-kiosk (Mon–Fri 8:00 – 20:00, Sat–Sun 9:00 –
17:00). Opposite, in one of the "legs" of the building, there is a small
cafe with pies, chebureks, kebabs and pizza (Mon–Fri 8:00 – 19:00, Sat
8:00 – 17:00, Sun 9:00 – 17:00). However, the bus station is located in
the very center (in a sense, it is the center of Jõhvi), so finding a
cafe or shop in the vicinity will not be a problem. Buses from Tallinn
(every half hour, 2-3 hours on the way) and Narva (every half hour, 1
hour on the way), including Narva — Tartu buses, stop in Jõhvi.
By car on highway 1 from Tallinn (160 km) and Narva (50 km), or from
Tartu on highway 3 (130 km).
Jõhvi is a small town, and its few attractions are located so densely that you do not need to go anywhere to explore them. Yyhvi shares urban transport with the neighboring Kohtla-Jarve agglomeration. Buses mostly run along the main street (Rakvere), cross the railway and end the route somewhere at the exit towards Tartu.
The name was interpreted in different ways, the people believed that it comes from the word "jõhvikas" (in Estonian "cranberry"), but there is no linguistic confirmation of this. In the 1930s, local historian H. Kurba proposed to associate it with the word "jõevesi" (translated as "river water") because of the spring in the center of the city, which gave the name to one of the Pyhajõe tributaries. Finnish linguist L. Kettunen decided to use the word "jõhv" (in translation "horsehair") as a basis, which is by far the most recognized version. It is also possible that the origin of the name Jõhvi is related to the word "jõhvuss" ("hairy").
For the first time, the issue of the coat of arms
and the flag of the city was raised on December 2, 1938 at a meeting
of the city council, at the same time the projects developed by the
Union of Estonian Cities were approved. But due to the accession of
Estonia to the Soviet Union, the official approval of the flag and
coat of arms by the President of the Republic of Estonia did not
take place.
After the collapse of the USSR and the formation
of Estonia, Jõhvi received the status of a city and its own coat of
arms and flag, which were approved on July 20, 1992 by the
Government of the Republic and are the official symbols of the city
to this day. The coat of arms has a shield-like shape and is divided
into two parts. The lower part has a green base, which, looking from
right to left, depicts a golden deer head with a red tongue
protruding from the mouth. The upper part of the coat of arms is
represented by a red background with the image of 3 silver firs.
The flag of the city is a rectangular panel with a
width-to-length ratio of 1: 2, consisting of five stripes of
white-green color. Along the edges and center of the flag there are
white stripes 1/7 wide, and between them - green stripes 2/7 wide.
Центр Йыхви представляет собой сплошную торговую площадь: количество
магазинов и супермаркетов здесь совершенно аномально и, по-видимому,
призвано компенсировать их отсутствие в соседнем Кохтла-Ярве.
1
Shopping Centre, Central Square 6. Пн–Пт 9:00 – 18:00, Сб 9:00 – 16:00,
Вс 10:00 – 15:00. Здесь доминируют бутики, ювелирные магазины и прочая
роскошь. Впрочем, на втором этаже есть симпатичный, недорогой кафетерий
с видом на центральную площадь и ратушу.
2 Shopping Centre, Narva
mnt. 10. Пн–Пт 9:00 – 19:00, Сб–Вс 9:00 – 17:00. Крытый продуктовый
рынок, на котором можно найти торты, пирожные, конфеты и другую местную
продукцию.
3 Market, Narva MNT. 14. Вт–Вс 8:00 – 18:00. Уличный
рынок. В основном барахолка, хотя попадаются и местные жители с овощами,
ягодами и другими продуктами.
4. JEWE, Narva MNT. 4. Пн–Пт
9:00 – 19:00, Пн–Пт 9:00 – 17:00. Торговый центр, приютивший
автостанцию. Внутри супермаркет Selver (8:00 – 23:00), бильярд и ночной
клуб. Других магазинов практически нет.
5. Central Square, Central
Square 4. Пн–Пт 9:00 – 19:00, Сб–Вс 9:00 – 16:00. .Rimi (8:00 –
22:00).—.,.
6 Park Centre, Puru Road 1, Cranberry, 41534. 10:00 -
20:00. Крупный торговый центр, расположенный возле йыхвиского
концертного дома.. Park Center-60. - 2020.Apollo.
Cheaply
1 Antalya Kebab, Narva mnt. (underground parking under the
Town Hall Square). Sun–Thu 10:00 – 20:00, Fri–Sat 10:00 – 22:00.
Shawarma is not sold anywhere else in Estonia directly in the
underground parking lot.
City Cafe Bistroo, Narva mnt. 1 (Tsentraal
shopping center). Mon–Fri 8:00 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 – 19:00, Sun 10:00 –
16:00. Hot dishes: €3-5 (2013). A boring and not very tidy cafeteria
inside the mall. The choice of dishes is frankly small, and the prices
are rather above average. Free Wi-Fi.
2 Leo baar and Olle Baar,
Sampa 8 (near the train station). Leo baar: Tue–Sun 12:00 – 20:00, Olle
Baar: 9:00 – 19:00. Both establishments resemble shot glasses.
3 Ukraina Köök, Narva mnt. (behind the bus station). Mon–Fri 8:00 –
18:00, Sat–Sun 8:00 – 17:00. Hot dishes: €2-3 (2013). A small cafeteria,
which differs from the usual Estonian canteens in that it serves dishes
of Ukrainian cuisine — borscht, dumplings, draniki. The prices are
slightly lower than in other cafeterias of Yyhvi, and the pies here are
completely homemade.
Average cost
4 Linnaisa Kohvik , Tartu
mnt. 2 (on the central square). ☎ +372 (33) 5-69-96. Mon–Sat 10:00 –
18:00. Hot dishes: €4-6 (2013). A cozy city cafe with red tablecloths
and traditional Estonian food. From the outside, you might think that
this is a pastry shop, but there are just a few sweets here. Visitors
are praising.
5 Mimino , Lääne 1b (entrance to Jyhvi from Tallinn).
☎ +372 (33) 7-57-50. Mon–Thu 11:30 – 22:00, Fri–Sat 11:30 – 24:00. Hot
dishes: €6-8 (2013). This is probably the only Georgian restaurant in
Eastern Estonia, and since it also stands on the highway, it is iconic.
Wooden interior in the national style. The choice of dishes is not very
large, some of them could be more refined, but overall it is a good
place for lunch or dinner.
6 Mozart, Pargi 40 (concert hall, 2nd
floor). ☎ +372 (33) 4-20-40. Mon–Fri 11:00 – 18:00. Hot dishes: €6-8
(2013). A good cafe with its own pastries.
7 Nostalgie (former Post
Office Restaurant), Sompa 1. Mon–Thu 11:00 – 23:00, Fri–Sat 11:00 –
1:00, Sun 11:00 – 22:00. A non-working soda machine is responsible for
nostalgia, otherwise the interior is quite modern. In addition to the
restaurant, there is a sushi bar.
Privaat Pubi, Rakvere 7. Mon–Thu
10:00 – 23:00, Fri 10:00 – 2:00, Sat 12:00 – 2:00, Sun 12:00 – 20:00.
Bar-restaurant at the Wironia Hotel.
Expensive
8 Aroma ,
Rakvere tee 19. ☎ +372 (33) 2-02-04. Mon–Thu 12:00 – 21:00, Fri–Sat
12:00 – 2:00. Hot dishes: €7-10 (2013). The restaurant specializes in
Chinese, Thai and other similar dishes.
9 Vanameistri Pubi , Rahu
15A. ☎ +372 555-777-56. Mon–Thu 12:00 – 21:00, Fri–Sat 12:00 – 2:00. Hot
dishes: €7-10 (2013). A new and very stylish pub with Estonian food.
According to rumors, Russian speakers are not liked here. It's hard to
judge whether this is true or not, but the site is deliberately made in
English without a Russian translation.
Casino Grand Prix, Rakvere 9. 9:00 – 7:00.
Cruzo , Narva mnt. 4
(Jewel shopping center). ☎ +372 (33) 4-69-46. The only nightclub in the
city. It offers entertainment programs in the spirit of the "disco of
the 90s" and in all respects (including safety) resembles the clubs of
Russian regional centers.
Mango billiards, Narva mnt. 4 (Jewel
shopping center). Sun–Thu 13:00 – 24:00, Fri–Sat 13:00 – 2:00.
1 Hostel Nele, Kaare 11 (behind the railway). ☎ +372 (33) 6-10-01.
2 Pääsuke, Põllu tn. 10 (10 min walk from the center). ☎ +372 (33)
7-01-90. It is positioned as a hotel, although it is not clear what it
really is.
3 Wironia, Rakvere 7 (in the center). ☎ +372
336-42-00. Single/Double room: €45/60 (2013). A modern and quite nice
hotel, although the reviews of the guests are somewhat contradictory.
Free Wi-Fi.
Central Library , Rakvere 13a. Tue–Fri 10:00 – 17:45, Sat 10:00 – 15:45, except the last Friday of the month. Free internet access from library computers. There is also free Wi-Fi.