The 6 Best Monuments & Statues in Valga County, Valga County

A black granite memorial tablet bearing almost 200 names was installed on the wall of the Valga Jaani (St John’s) Church in 1934 in remembrance of the Finnish volunteers who fell in the Paju Battle of the War of Independence. The polar bear sign of the Northern Sons Regiment is shown on the shield above the stone. In 1940 the memorial tablet was demolished with pickaxes by the order of communists. The memorial tablet was reopened on the 80th anniversary of the Paju Battle in 1999.Interesting facts:* the memorial tablet was opened in 1934 by President Konstantin Pats;* the first table was made in Finland and the second one in Tartu;* donations for the second tablet were collected by Ylistaro Rural Municipality (Finland) at the initiative of Ossi Salo.

Weightlifter Alfred Neuland (1895-1966) who was born in Valga is the first Estonian Olympic Champion. He returned with a gold medal from the Antwerp Olympic Games in 1920. He was also successful at the Paris Olympic Games where he won the silver medal.Interesting facts:* sculptor Mati Karmin is the author of the bronze bust;* Hermann Lerchenbaum, the first Estonian known to have taken part in Olympic Games as a member of the US Navy's rowing team at the 1896 Olympic Games in Athens, was also born in Valga.

NIPERNAADI, the eternal wanderer and dreamer, greets visitors and boldly raises his hat in the Sade park. Look at the sole of his raised travelling boot and you'll see adventurous roads awaiting for you. If you manage to polish even the smallest part of it you will always have good luck accompanying your travels. Look into his eyes and you'll start dreaming, too. If you happen to meet his eyes for a bit longer your longing will be filled with something beautiful and unusual. Wave him as you leave and adventures will follow.NIPERNAADI, a vigorous bronze sculpture inspired by the protagonist of the novel "Toomas Nipernaadi" by August Gailit is anxious to meet you.

The monument to soldiers who fell in the War of Independence stands on a hill in front of Otepaa Maarja Church and it is remarkable because it was hidden underground for 30 years. The monument was reopened in 1989 after renovation. The top part of the monument bears the words HONOUR THE FALLEN and a list of 22 names. The granite piece with the full list has been lost. The metal decorations were created at the initiative of sculptor Juri Ojaver.Interesting facts:The initial monument was designed by Voldemar Melnik and made by stonemason Peeter Veeber. The monument was opened for the first time on 10 June 1928.

Otepaa irradiates good energy! The monument that celebrates the existence of positive energy fields was opened in Mae Street on 1 October 1992.The entire field is surrounded by benches and the location of these as well as the column itself was selected by psychics.The energy column is the symbol which reminds us that in this rapidly changing world, humans are a part of nature and everything is based on the rules of nature that rely on balance and co-dependency.

The memorial column erected in 1928 to commemorate those who fell in the War of Independence stands in the park next to Torva Upper Secondary School. The author of the monument is Aleksander Eller. The monument was taken down by local communist authorities during the Second World War in 1940 and it was reopened on Victory Day, 23 June 1990.Interesting facts:Schoolboys gave the monument the friendly name Juku.