Unique Town Environment
The Ancient Rhythms of Viljandi
The heart of Viljandi beats in an ancient rhythm.
The rhythm is slightly mysterious and it carries you away with itself. This rhythm contains the past, the present and the future, creation and preservation. It represents centuries of live in this place, its strong cultural history and old traditions.
Viljandi is an ancient city situated on a hill by a beautiful lake.
The lake glittering in the bottom of the valley is popular with holiday-makers, fishermen and people who enjoy recreational sports. A hiking path runs around the lake and it can be used for recreational sports all year round.
Since the year 1928, a run around Lake Viljandi has taken place on the first day of May every year. Tennis courts, cafes, playgrounds, diving towers, boat rental and catamaran trips are available by the lake. In winter, people can enjoy a snow park and test their skills at snow-tubing.
Summer in Viljandi culminates with the annual folk music festival, which brings friends of folk music to town from all over the world. The town has the honour of being the home of Estonian folk music, and the former manor ham located at the foot of Viljandi castle hills is renovated into the building of the Estonian Traditional Music Center.
Into the Center are concert hall, Folk Music library, hall for trainings, Folk Music national university alias August Pulst's School, a shop for music instruments.
Church spires and the Old Water Tower form a silhouette on the lake surface. The Water Tower offers a magnificent view of the whole town. Hanseatic merchants settled here as long ago as the 14th century. Due to its good location, varied nature and good connecting roads, Viljandi is an excellent place for trade, stopovers and living.
The spirit of the Hanseatic League can be felt in the town every June - people trade at a fair, dress the way people did in that area, organize exhibitions and party.