Toome Hill

Toomemagi rises directly above the centre of Tartu, the site of the medieval bishop's stronghold, and it carries the ruins of the brick cathedral begun in the thirteenth century, of which the choir was rebuilt in the nineteenth to house the university library and now holds the university museum, while the great twin west towers stand roofless. Around them the hill was laid out as an English park in the early nineteenth century, with the Angel's Bridge and the Devil's Bridge crossing the road cut through it, a sacrificial stone, and monuments to university figures. The old observatory, a Struve Geodetic Arc point, stands on the edge, and the anatomical theatre below.

Highlights

• The cathedral ruins - the roofless brick towers and the rebuilt choir.
• Angel's Bridge and Devil's Bridge - the two arches over the park road.
• The university museum - the collections in the rebuilt cathedral choir.
• The old observatory - the Struve Arc point on the hill edge.

When to go

May to September for the park in leaf; the hill is open year round and is used by students and residents daily. Museums keep their own hours and close on Mondays. Autumn colours the park.

Things to know

The cathedral is a ruin with only the choir roofed. Museums on the hill charge separately. The park is a through route for students and is busy in term time. Paths are steep and icy in winter.

Nearby

Tartu old town lies below; Supilinn is northwest.

Key facts