The pretty tree-covered hill south of the church was an ancient Estonian stronghold for around 800 years before it was topped by an episcopal castle in 1224. Known as the 'Bear's Head' (oti pää), it's from this that the town takes its name. Remnants of the fortifications remain on the top along with wonderful views of the surrounding valleys. The castle was largely destroyed in 1396 in a battle between the Bishop of Tartu and the Livonian Order.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
23.62 MILES
Atop Toomemägi are the ruins of a Gothic cathedral, built in the 13th century by the knights of the Livonian Order after driving the pagan Estonians from…
22.96 MILES
A treat for word nerds, design hounds and print junkies alike, this interactive museum focuses on the history of printing and paper-making. Machinery from…
24.96 MILES
This immense, low-slung, glass-clad building is arresting – both Estonians and architecture lovers purred when it opened in late 2016. The permanent…
23.59 MILES
Built as part of Tartu University in 1810, this intriguing observatory on Toomemägi is a must for fans of astronomy and the history of scientific…
24.49 MILES
Fairies, ghosts and witches abound in the 123 sq km of wooded hills, small lakes and ancient stone burial mounds that form Karula National Park, at least…
23.76 MILES
If you've been socialising in Tartu's pubs and can't really see straight, don’t use this building to anchor your eye. Subsidence caused by the nearby…
23.23 MILES
This former KGB headquarters and prison, known as the ‘Grey House’, was donated to Tartu City Museum by the family to which they were returned after the…
23.01 MILES
Aparaaditehas (the Widget Factory) is an old 14,000-sq-metre Soviet-era industrial complex where refrigeration equipment and secret submarine parts were…
Nearby attractions
0.15 MILES
Otepää’s Gothic hilltop church dates from 1671, although it was largely reconstructed in 1890. Inside there’s intricate woodwork, low-hanging chandeliers…
2. Otepää Winter Sports Museum
0.32 MILES
Big, flash Tehvandi Stadium, used for football and ski events, is a testimony to Otepää’s obsession with sport. Within the bowels of the main stand, this…
0.49 MILES
If energy levels are low, recharge at this odd bear-covered totem pole. It was erected in 1992 to mark the long-held belief of psychics that this area…
1.63 MILES
The popular sandy beach on the northeastern shore of Pühajärv has waterslides, a swimming pontoon, a cafe and lifeguards in summer.
1.72 MILES
According to legend, 3.5km-long, 8.5m-deep Pühajärv (Holy Lake) was formed from the tears of the mothers who lost their sons in a battle of the Kalevipoeg…
6. St Andrew's Lutheran Church
11.3 MILES
It's thought that the name Sangaste might derive from the Latin phrase Sanguis Christi (Blood of Christ), referring to a relic kept in Sangaste's original…
13.56 MILES
British castle-spotters might experience déjà vu gazing on this majestic red-brick manor house, with its architectural debts to Windsor and Balmoral…
8. Estonian Print & Paper Museum
22.96 MILES
A treat for word nerds, design hounds and print junkies alike, this interactive museum focuses on the history of printing and paper-making. Machinery from…