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LOCATION: City of Pärnu in south-west of Estonia

POPULATION: 42,470

SURFACE: 32.2 km²

UNEMPLOYMENT: 7.9%

 

A short history of long-lasting Pärnu   

9000 BC The first settlement at the mouth of the Pärnu River was founded.
1251 The Episcopal dome church of the Osilian Diocese was inaugurated by Bishop Henrik in the Old-town of Pärnu by the Sauga River (then called Perona).
1263-65 Episcopal town of Pärnu was destroyed by pagan Lithuanians and New-Pärnu was established on the banks of the River Pärnu (then Embecke) in front of the castle of the commander of the Teutonic Order.
1318 Gerhard van Joeck, the Livonian master of the Teutonic Order frees the local government of New-Pärnu from direct subordination to the commander.
1560-1617 Collapse of the state of the Order. Pärnu belongs to Poland, Russia and finally to Sweden. Liquidation of Vana-Pärnu, which was established near the former Pärnu Dome Church around 1330.
1699-1710 Academia Gustavo Carolina (Academia Pernaviensis) was operating in the former castle of the commander of the Order.
1803-1811 The mouth of the River Pärnu was dredged and it became navigable. Katarina breakwaters and floating bridges up to the new section of the postal road at Ülejõe were built of timber.
1838 The first bathing establishment was opened in Pärnu
1857 Perno Postimees, a weekly newspaper in Estonian was founded in Pärnu by Johann Voldemar Jannsen. The paper is published today under the same title.
1896 Railway connection to Valga was opened; consular representations of nine countries were open in Pärnu.
1900-1915 Waldhof, the biggest cellulose factory of the imperial Russia operated in Pärnu.
On 23 February 1918, Estonia's Independence Manifesto was first read out on the balcony of the theatre Endla in Pärnu. This act was considered as the proclamation of the independence of the Estonian Republic and the birthday of our state was declared next day in Tallinn. The Estonian national Day is February, 24th.
1937-39 Rannahotell, concrete bridges and café Rannakohvik with its mushroom-like balcony were completed by the anniversary of the resort Pärnu, the holiday-making and treatment place of national importance in Estonia; a ferry line to Stockholm was opened.
1940 The Soviet occupation rule closed the port of Pärnu for foreign vessels, so the port remained only a fishing harbour for 50 years.
1952-53 The town becomes the centre of Pärnu Oblast. Planning of the central square and Lenin avenue. The buildings of the old town and St. Nicholas Church were blown up and levelled; the largest fish cannery factory in the Baltic States was established.
1976 The 50,000th inhabitant was born and the third bridge was completed.
1992 The art foundation Chaplin was founded which soon grew into the Museum of New Art.
1994 The marina of Pärnu fulfilled the requirements of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and was given the first Blue Flag in Eastern Europe; the World Championship for Finnclass yachts was held in Pärnu.
1996 Pärnu was declared the Summer Capital of Estonia. Pärnu College of the University of Tartu was opened.
2003 At the site of the historical old town destroyed 50 years ago, the first public buildings were opened between blocks of flats (the new public library and the modern concert hall).
2004 Tervis Spa, then the largest (11,500 m²) water park in the Baltic States was opened in Pärnu.
2006 The beach promenade was opened.