page_title: Tartu
section_title: Imperial Russia
hierarchical_section_title: Tartu / History / Imperial Russia
caption_attribution_description: Eesti: Tartu Raekoda, ehitatud 1782–1789 English: Tartu Town Hall, built in 1782–1789 Deutsch: Tartuer Rathaus, erbaut im 1782–1789 This is a photo of cultural heritage monument of Estonia number 6895.
context_page_description: Tartu is the second largest city of Estonia, after Estonia's political and financial capital Tallinn. Situated 186 kilometres southeast of Tallinn and 245 kilometres northeast of Riga, the capital of Latvia. The distance to Estonia's summer holiday capital Pärnu in the west is 176 kilometres and the fastest route there by car is through Viljandi and Kilingi-Nõmme. Tartu lies on the Emajõgi, which connects the two largest lakes of Estonia, Lake Võrtsjärv and Lake Peipus. The city is served by Tartu Airport.
  Tartu is often considered the intellectual centre of the country, especially since it is home to the nation's oldest and most renowned university, the University of Tartu; Tartu itself is also the oldest city of Estonia and other Baltic countries. Tartu houses the Supreme Court of Estonia, the Ministry of Education and Research, the Estonian National Museum, and the oldest Estonian-language theater, Vanemuine. It is also the birthplace of the Estonian Song Festivals.
context_section_description: In 1704 the town was taken by Russian army in the presence of tsar Peter the Great himself. As a result, around a quarter of the town and much of the fortifications were damaged. In 1708 the remainder of the fortifications and houses, including the remains of bishops castle, were blown up, all movable property was looted and all citizens deported to Russia. With the Treaty of Nystad in 1721, the city became part of the Russian Empire and was known as Derpt. Fires in the 18th century destroyed much of the medieval architecture, the Great Fire of Tartu in 1775 removed most of the buildings in the centre. The city was rebuilt along Late Baroque and Neoclassical lines including the Tartu Town Hall which was built between 1782 and 1789. In 1783 the city became the centre of Derpt uyezd within the Governorate of Livonia.
  During the second half of the 19th century, Tartu was the cultural centre for Estonians in the era of Romantic nationalism. The city hosted Estonia's first song festival in 1869. Vanemuine, the first national theatre, was established in 1870. Tartu was also the setting for the foundation of the Society of Estonian Writers in 1872.
  Tartu railway station was opened in 1876 when Tapa–Tartu route was built. The station building was opened in 1877.
  In 1893, the city was officially retitled to the ancient Russian name Yuryev. The university was subsequently russified from 1895 on with the introduction of compulsory Russian in teaching. Much of the university property was relocated to Voronezh in 1918 and during the German occupation the University worked under the name Landesuniversität Dorpat. During the Estonian War of Independence university of Tartu was re-opened as an Estonian language university on 1 December 1919.
caption: Tartu Town Hall
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