Monument to Kristjan Jaak Peterson

Monument to Kristjan Jaak Peterson

Toomemäe park, Tartu

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Kristjan Jaak Peterson (14 March 1801 – 4 August 1822) was an Estonian writer who is considered to be the founder of Estonian national literature.

He studied in the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy of the University of Tartu from 1819 to 1820. He called himself a singer of the country people, appreciated the national features of literature, and thought that the creation of original Estonian literature was possible.

There is a bronze monument to him on Toomemägi, which was completed in 1983 by J. Soans and A. Murdmaa, and a high school named after him in Tartu.

On the writer's birthday, 14 March, we celebrate Mother Tongue Day.

Fun fact: Peterson walked from Tartu to Riga more than 200 years ago due to lack of money.

Times and prices

Open all year round

24 hours

Features and amenities

  • Wheelchair access

Getting there

The monument is located on Toomemägi, in the immediate vicinity of the ruins of the Cathedral.

Access

  • Signposted
  • On foot only

Coordinates

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Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

Erna O

Erna O

nice to see but not a must if pressed for time

We had enough time to wander around and enjoyed the parks, statues, trees and flowers in Tartu. The guide told the history of many people and the city and we learned a lot. Nice, but not a must if...

DejanNS72

DejanNS72

Monument to a poet

Although some people here claimed that this monument is ugly, I can not agree with them. In my eyes, this monument is quite romantic. It reminds me on a Serbian poet Branko Radičević who also lived...

Pii L

Pii L

The poet who died when was 21, but important to Estonians.

Not easy to find (behind the ruines of Domchurch, the Museum of Tartu University). Very important person for Estonians, the poet, the founder of the mordern Estonian poetry. Every Estonian knows his...

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