Viljandi CastleViljandi Castle
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Viljandi_2010_002.jpg
Author: Danrok
photo licensing

Viljandi is a small town in central-southern Estonia. Covering 14.62 sq km (5.6 sq mi), it has a population of 19,000 people (2011 estimate). Situated on the northwestern shore of Lake Viljandi, the town has some 418 hectares of public green areas where visitors can enjoy nature up close.

Archaeological evidence shows that there has been human habitation in this area as early as the fifth millennium BC. The town itself dates from a settlement established in the 12th century AD. The medieval town joined the Hanseatic League in the 14th century, when it grew into an emporium for merchants traveling to and from Russia.

The growth of Viljandi came to an end in the 16th century with the Livonian War. More calamity was to follow when the Polish-Russian war destroyed much of it. The town was under Swedish rule from the 17th century until the Great Northern War of 1700-21. It was under Russian control with only shortlived moments of independence, until it finally regained full independence with the fall of the Soviet Union and the declaration of Estonian independence in 1989.

Viljandi Rope BridgeViljandi Rope Bridge
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rippsild_Viljandis.jpg
Author: Vend Jaan
photo licensing

Visiting Viljandi

You can reach Viljandi by bus from Tallinn, Tartu, Valga and Pärnu.

Places of Interest in Viljandi


  1. Heimtali Museum of Domestic Life
    Housed in a former school building, this museum showcases examples of domestic life in the past centuries.

  2. Museum of Viljandi
    Housed in one of the oldest stone buildings in town, the museum provides an understanding of the local history.

  3. St Paul's Church
    Church with the biggest functioning organ in Estonia.

  4. Viljandi Castle
    Ruins of the medieval fortress that was once the mightiest fort in Estonia and Latvia.

  5. Viljandi Rope Bridge
    A popular attraction for visitors to the town.

 Latest updates on Penang Travel Tips

 Share your travels and/or ask a travel-related question

Join the Penang Travel Tips Facebook Group to share photos, tips and anything related to your travels, or ask travel-related questions.

Map of Roads in Penang

Looking for information on Penang? Use this Map of Roads in Penang to zoom in on information about Penang, brought to you road by road.

Discover with Timothy

Let me take you to explore and discover Penang through my series of walking tours on YouTube. You may use these videos as your virtual tour guide. At the beginning of each video, I provide the starting point coordinates which you may key into your GPS, Google Maps or Waze, to be navigated to where I start the walk, and use the video as your virtual tour guide.

Disclaimer

Please use the information on this page as guidance only. The author endeavours to update the information on this page from time to time, but regrets any inaccuracies if there be any.

Songs about Penang

About this website



Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.
Copyright © 2003-2024 Timothy Tye. All Rights Reserved.