Rajaküla Old Believers’ Worship House
It is believed that the Raja congregation of Old Believers was established in the first quarter of the 18th century. The congregation was given permission to build its own church only in 1879. The church was destroyed during the Second World War – the only thing left is the belfry. The present worship house has 11 rooms. In 1854–1930 Gavriil Frolov lived in the worship house. He taught children icon-writing, reading and writing in Old-Slavic, also singing based on old musical notation.
Laiuse Straw Museum
Laiuse Handwork Chamber Golden Straw or Laiuse Straw Museum offers its guests the possibility to visit an exhibition which shows straw, reed and birch bark objects made using different techniques (weaving, plaiting and intarsia), ornamental straw objects and decorations. Visitors have the possibility to buy or order souvenirs.
Permanent exhibition “Lake Peipus Living Room”
Lake Peipus Living Room is a permanent exhibition that gives visitors information about the natural conditions in Lake Peipus and the lives of people living by the lake. You can see models of the 34 species of fish that inhabit Lake Peipus. There is also a three-dimensional model of the lake that is 4 m long and 1.4 m wide and also shows the location of the towns and villages, accommodation establishments, museums, watchtowers and other places of interest near the lake. The Mustvee beach by Lake Peipus is marked with a yellow National Geographic window; it is one of [...]
Laiuse fortress ruins
Construction of the Laiuse fortress was launched by the Livonian Order in the late 14th century to defend its eastern borders. The first defensive structure in Estonia to be fitted with firearms, it gained its definitive appearance in the late Middle Ages. Cannon towers were added to the fortress in the mid-15th century. The fortress crumbled in 1559 but was restored, with wooden barracks built at the end of the Swedish era, which accommodated Karl XII and his entourage from 1700–1701. After the Great Northern War the fortress lay in ruins.
Exhibition “Samovars and Old Believers”
The exhibition's collection contains more than 50 samovars from various eras, countries, with different shapes and heating methods. The oldest samovar dates back to 1810. Samovars are accompanied by a multitude of tea glass holders (more than a hundred pieces). Photos of Russian Old Believers illustrate the walls. The exhibition also contains traditional items of the Old Believers, such as tea time and everything it entails, clothing, furniture, church equipment, icons, iconostasis, lampada, lestovkas, podrusniks, etc. You can also buy souvenirs, handicrafts and novelty products by the brand Varvara Gourmet.
Paduvere Farm Museum
The museum introduces the life led by farmers in the 18th century and the everyday lives and work of our forefathers. There are five oak sculptures created by St Petersburg artist Grigori Azarenkov by the museum. The museum is surrounded by beautiful landscapes, which make it a popular venue for folk parties and theatre performances.
Kükita Old Believers Prayer House of the Estonian Association of Old Believers Congregations
The first prayer house of Old Believers in Estonia is located in Kükita. The Kükita Prayer House was consecrated on September 14, 1740. During the war of 1812, the Cossack Old Believers donated a chandelier to the Prayer House. There were a total of 397 Old Believers in the list of parishioners of the Kükita congregation by 1833. The current Prayer House was built in 1948 in place of the one destroyed in World War II. Old Believers have services every Sunday and on all holidays (Christmas, Pascha and Epiphany).
Jõgewa Museum
Jõgewa Museum displays historical items that are mostly connected to the history of Jõgeva County; the general title of the exhibition is 'Jõgeva County's Local History 1900–1945'. A particularly interesting section of the exhibition features weapons used during WWII. Good to know: schools can organize history lessons on the museum premises.
Alo Mattiisen’s piano classroom
In the centre of the town, at Jõgeva Music School, where Alo Mattiisen studied, a memorial was unveiled to mark his 45th birthday. Five years later, in 2011, his piano classroom was also completed to celebrate his 50th birthday. It features his fully restored piano and a display of the composer's personal items. The classroom can be used to host small concerts, training sessions, conferences and music lessons.
Kalevipoeg’s Museum
The Kalevipoeg Museum represents one of the 21 places, marked with a National Geographic's yellow window, that are worth exploring in Southern Estonia. The museum is named after Estonian national epic "Kalevipoeg" because the Kääpa River is where the sword of Kalevipoeg is located, and around it are resting places, rocks, springs, swamps, and furrows. In Kalevipoeg Museum, you get a good overview of the Estonian national epic. If you want, you can listen to the whole epic or sit abroad a huge ship called the Plane and watch a short film, where drone shots of beautiful Estonian places alternate with [...]
