This year historians autumn trip went along old Postal road. First we visited memorial to the forest brothers who fell in the battle of Intsipalu. A memorial stone to the fallen people of Intsipalu on October 1, 1949 was installed in 2003.Seven men fell in the battle in the Tõdu forest.
Järgmisena külastasime Põlva talurahvamuuseumit. 19. sajandi vallakeskusest ja koolitalust on kujunenud suurim ajaloolise hoonestusega vabaõhumuuseum Lõuna-Eestis.
Next we went to Põlva Peasantry Museum. Põlva Peasantry Museum was founded in Karilatsi in 1970. The museum offers an overview of the school life, farm life and local government activities of the late 19th and early 20th century. The buildings of the former Karilatsi (Kähri) Parish centre are preserved on the museum’s grounds.
Next we visited birthplace of Heinrich Mark. Heinrich Mark, a politician and educationist born in Ihamaru, emigrated to Sweden in 1944 after Estonia was occupied and took an active role in the Estonian Committee. He was Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Estonia in exile from 1971 to 1990 and Acting President from 1990 to 1992.
Next we visited Väimela manor and chapel of Löwen family. The earliest records of Väimela Manor date back to the 1590s. The symmetrical early Classicist manor complex, which was completed in the early 19th century, is one of the most elegant manors in the area. The heart of the complex was a single-storey main building with a flat roof, while the distinguished round court in front of the main building was fringed by a granary with vaulted openings and a stable and coach house. When visiting, make sure you take a look at the clock tower and quarry-stone cowshed. The main building of the manor burned down in 1919 during the War of Independence. Later the building was restored, although an extra storey was added to the original single-storey building. Today the manor is used by the Võrumaa Vocational Education Centre. The main building was damaged in a fire again in the 1950s, but it retains the appearance it obtained during renovations at the time. Most of the manor’s outhouses have been preserved in their original form.
Next we climbed to the ruins of the Citadel in Kirumpää. First written sources of citadel of Kirumpää situated on the bank of River Võhandu and belonging to bishop of Tartu date back to 1322 when Lithuanian Prince Gediminas demolished it. Citadel has been attacked, demolished and rebuilt in several occasions. During the II half of 15th century the citadel became a camp castle-type tower citadel with round wall and forecourt. Powerful cannon tower was situated on the southwest corner of the citadel. Citadel was heavily damaged during the War of Livonia in 1558 when departing order and bishop`s troops set it on fire. Final demolition was avoided by local people. Final demolition of the citadel took place during another Swedish-Russian war in 1656. It is known that during Great Northern War in September 1701 Swedish troops stayed here. Around citadels always formed big tradesmen and artisans` settlements. Settlement of Kirumpää was one of the biggest of that kind. Stays of troops AKA camps have gave name to Leerimägi (Camp Hill) on the western part of which situated the citadel. In 1784 the town of Võru was founded near the location where the citadel used to situate and the stones from the ruins of the citadel were used to build the town. In 1939-1940 lime trees were planted near the citadel.
Ööbikuoru Hüdrotöökoda-muuseum tutvustab voolava vee energia baasil töötavat tehnikat. Elektrijaam-töökoda ehitati tänu ettevõtlikule Peeter Johansonile (Saarse), valmis 1912. a. paiku ja kuni 1940. aastani andis see voolu Rõuge koolile, kultuurimajale ja kirikule. Lisaks elektri tootmisele oli töökoja põhitööks tehnikaseadmete ja põllutöömasinate remont. Perekond Saarse järeltulijate poolt renoveeriti töökoda oma esialgsel kujul (2009-2010). Muuseumis on säilinud kõik vee jõul käitatavad metallitööpingid ja enamik käsitööriistu. Teisel korrusel on väljapanek vanadest majapidamistarvetest.
Lastly we went to Rõuge hill fort, prehistoric settlement and Ööbikuoru hydro workshop & museum. The cultural layer of Rõuge settlement hid several ruins of residential buildings and a number of findings of household items. Subsequent to the settlement is a fortress that is situated on the western part of the natural small cape and where the residential buildings were located, but today, only the end ramparts of the fortress with ditches in front of them can be seen. During Middle Iron Age, people mainly subsisted on slash-and-burn clearance, cattle-breeding was less developed. Some examples of tools of local craftsmen were found among the finds from Rõuge; the finds can be seen in Võrumaa Regional Museum. In 1613, Rõuge is mentioned as a parish for the first time. The modern-day small town came into being in the 19th century.
Ööbikuoru Hydro Workshop & Museum showcases technology that operates on energy generated by flowing water. It was constructed as a power station and workshop thanks to an enterprising man named Peeter Johanson (Saarse). It was completed around 1912 and provided power to the Rõuge school, community centre and church until 1940. In addition to producing electricity, the workshop also repaired technical equipment and agricultural machinery. The Saarse family's descendants restored the workshop to its original state in 2009 and 2010. The museum preserves all of the work benches and equipment that were powered by water. The second floor has a display of old household items.
Pärast seda oli meil õhtusöök Hämsa kõrtsis Võru lähedal ning siis sõitsime tagasi Tartusse.
After that we had dinner in Hämsa pub near Võru and then we drove back to Tartu.
