Türi

Türi, in North Estonia, is the spring capital of Estonia. A small but quite vibrant city with an interesting medieval church and interwar architecture. It is especially pleasant in the spring, when there is really a lot of greenery and a special flower fair is held.

Understand

For a long time, Türi was a simple village, first mentioned in chronicles in 1347, but the development of Tyuri began at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries with the construction of the railway from Tallinn to Viljandi, in which Paide was destined to serve as a dead-end station on a side branch. Then the line was extended beyond Paide, connecting with the Tapa-Tartu line, and Türi became the “railway heart of Estonia,” the largest railway junction in the country.

During the years of Estonian independence, Türi continued to develop, receiving city rights in 1926, and in 1937, with the construction of a huge radio tower, it became the centre of Estonian radio broadcasting. During the war, the tower was destroyed, and since then Tyuri has lost its former significance. However, the turbulent interwar period left a clear mark here: Türi is perhaps the only Estonian city that rose practically from scratch in the first half of the 20th century, which is why it retains a record number of buildings from the interwar period for a small town. Combined with a pretty medieval church and an abundance of greenery (it’s a spring capital, after all), this is a worthy reason to stop by for an hour.

Get in

• 1 Train and bus station, Jaama 8. The Türi railway and bus station is one wooden building with a small, dark waiting room. The station does not have opening hours: it may be open 24 hours a day. There is a cafe. There is a steam locomotive next to the building, and another, smaller one, is nestled at the back of the station, where the buses stop. Trains from Tallinn to Türi run 4-5 times a day, the journey takes 1.5–2 hours. Some of these trains then go to Viljandi. Tallinn–Viljandi buses can also call at Türi, but this is the exception rather than the rule, but all buses travelling along the Rakvere–Pärnu route inevitably stop in Türi. However, there are no more than 5-6 such buses per day. To quickly get to Tallinn, the most convenient way is to take a local bus to Paide, where there are many more options. (updated May 2024)

Türi is on highway 5, 80 km from Rakvere, 80 km from Pärnu, 105 km from Tallinn.

Get around

From the station to the church and other attractions it is hardly more than a kilometre, so you will not need transport here. Bus number 10 (every 10–15 minutes on weekdays and every 30 minutes on weekends) departs from the bus station and travels along Paide Street to the city of the same name, making a couple of stops within Türi. Everything interesting is collected along this street.

See

Church of St. Martin

• 1 Church of St. Martin (Martini kirik), Wiedemanni 7. The history of this church is lost in the centuries. According to some information, the church was founded almost in the 13th century, which is a hundred years earlier than the first chronicle mention of Tyuri. More likely it is the 14th or even 15th century, which is indicated on the old plaque attached to the building. The interior of the church, including a beautiful baroque altar, dates back to the 17th century, but the appearance is much more interesting here: an elegant, multi-tiered bell tower is attached to a typical, massive and rough rectangle, which distinguishes the Türi church from the vast majority of medieval Estonian churches, such as the St. Olaf in Tallinn's old town , where the tower is always angular and as massive as the main building. Of course, this is the result of later improvements in the spirit of modern architecture - here you can draw a parallel with the Church of the Holy Spirit and the town hall of the same Old Town - and maybe even a modern reconstruction (the tower was destroyed during the war and restored in 1972), but the result is whatever case is impressive. Although the church in Türi retains medieval austerity, the shape of the bell tower perfectly matches the high spire that goes into the sky: perhaps this is one of the most beautiful and harmonious Estonian churches. Behind the church, the street leads to a pretty pond, on the opposite side of which a forest begins. 
• Viljandi Street. Viljandi Street is the axis of the city. In its short section between the railway and the central square, almost all of the pre-war buildings of Türi are collected, including the market (Viljandi 14) and two administrative buildings - houses No. 9 and 11 (house of the consumer society). All of them were built according to completely original designs in the mid-1920s and combine different traditions of Estonian architecture: strict geometric shapes from functionalism, columns on the market building from Art Deco, and pink decorations on the end of one of the houses - generally some kind of local invention. Closer to the central square, typical residential buildings from the 1930s begin - characteristic monuments of Estonian functionalism with a long narrow window throughout the building. 
• 2 Gymnasium, Hariduse 3. The gymnasium building, unusual for Estonia, looks either like a manor or provincial Stalinist architecture, although it was built in 1924 for an agricultural school. Perhaps it can be classified as a local variety of Art Deco. 

Palace of Culture

• 3 Palace of Culture, Hariduse 1 (next to the gymnasium). The Palace of Culture is shaped like a quarter of a circle. It was built in the 1960s and then significantly improved, which is why it looks quite modern, and in some ways even experimental. 
• 4 Factory village, Vabriku pst. The area behind the railway is adjacent to a woodworking factory: from the train you can see stacks of logs and other landscapes typical of the Russian North. Interestingly, there is also a workers’ settlement that is rare for Estonia - a number of standard one-story buildings for the residence of local workers. These are a kind of Estonian wooden barracks (another parallel with the Russian North), which are strikingly different from urban wooden houses (there are almost no such houses in Türi, but you will see them in Paide, not to mention Tallinn, Tartu, Viljandi, etc. ), but at the same time they are devoid of the ugliness and hopelessness inherent in the wooden quarters of some Kotlas . The factory village was built at the beginning of the 20th century, it is already a hundred years old, and people still live here. 
• 5 Local History Museum, Vabriku pst. eleven, ☏ +372 38 5-74-29. Tu–Sa 10:00 – 17:00. If you are interested in the city of Türi, stop by the museum and learn more about the construction of the railway, as well as the brick factory and pulp mill as the flagships of local industry. The Broadcasting Museum is located in the same building. €2. (updated Oct 2013)
• 6 Estonian Broadcasting Museum (http://www.rhmuuseum.ee/?page=42), Vabriku pst. eleven, ☏ +372 38 5-70-55. Tu–Sa 10:00 – 17:00. The theme of the museum is quite unusual, but without knowing Estonian you will only be able to see the recording and broadcasting equipment. Old recordings and documents about pre-war Estonian radio broadcasting will also be of interest, but only to those who are well acquainted with the Estonian language and culture. (updated May 2024)

Buy

• 1 Kaubamaja, Tallinn 4. M-F 09:00-19:00, Sa 09:00-16:00. A department store with a Konsum grocery supermarket inside (daily 9:00 – 21:00). 
• 2 Maxima, Viljandi 10-12. M-Sa 08:00-22:00, Su 09:00-21:00. Grocery supermarket 
• 3 Market (Turg), Viljandi 14a. 

Eat

• 1 Kadri Tare, Paide 10, ☏ +372 38 7-83-46. Daily 07:00 – 21:00. Bakery which has a small cafe. Although it specializes in cakes and coffee, they also serve hot food, but apparently only during the day. 
• 2 Kevade kohvik, 5, ☏ +372 521-06-14. M–Th 11:00 – 20:00, F Sa 11:00 – 22:00, Su 11:00 – 17:00. It’s not often that a cafe is located in a music school. Perhaps this is the most delicious food you can find in Türi. Hot dishes: €7–10 (2013). 
• 3 Krahv Drakula pubi, Viljandi 9, ☏ +372 38 7-85-20. Su–Th 10:00 – 22:00, F Sa 10:00 – 24:00. A colourful establishment with its own style: everything is made of wood, except for porcelain dishes. It's cozy, the food is good, but rather monotonous. No traces of blood or other vampirism were found. Hot dishes: €7–9 (2013). 
• 4 Päikese Kebab, Viljandi 1, ☏ +372 5693-9997. Daily 11:00 – 22:00. Shawarma cafe. 
• 5 Türi burger, Viljandi 16. Daily 10:00 – 24:00. A gloomy cafe that serves hamburgers of unknown quality. Hamburgers: €3–4 (2013). 

Sleep

• 1 MaaRitza, Hariduse 15, ☏ +372 514-20-66. Guest houses on the outskirts of the city next to the pond. Each house can accommodate three people, has amenities and its own kitchen. Cabin: €40 (2013).  
• 2 Veskisilla, Veskisilla tee (1 km from the city towards Paide), ☏ +372 385-70-50. The former watermill has been converted into a hotel and conference center. Water does not flow down the walls, and in general visitors praise it. There is free Wi-Fi. Double room: €65 (2013). 
• 3 Hostel by the pool, Tallinna 60, ☏ +372 384-71-87, +372 5666-4223. Rooms for 2-4 people, the price includes access to the pool and sauna. Free Wi-Fi. €14/person (2013). 
• 4 Sireli Homestay, Mäo. Lovely garden and cosy wood stove – like staying in your own home. The owners are very hospitable. Apartment from €17. (updated Sep 2017)
• 5 Valtu Spordimaja Hostel, Saare 11, Kehtna, ☏ +372 4892490, +372 4894160, info@valtuspordimaja.ee. Family-friendly, meals on request, sauna, café – what do you need more? Dorm from €12. (updated Sep 2017)