History unfolds floor by floor in the tower on Paide Vallimägi: the Ajakeskus Wittenstein presents a different historical era on each floor, using sound and lighting effects as well as video programs. But there are other ways to explore the past in Järva—through literature, everyday history, technology and landscape.
History to experience and discover
The Tammsaare Museum Vargamäe is located in the birthplace of Estonian writer Anton Hansen Tammsaare. It features both the setting of his novel “Truth and Justice” and a typical Estonian peasant family’s household. Here, the world of literature meets insights into rural life. Those interested in the history of food and how it is made can find historical dairy-farming objects at the Eesti Piimandusmuuseum. The museum also offers workshops where visitors can make butter, karask, sõir, kohuke and ice cream.
The Eesti Jalgrattamuuseum tells the story of the bicycle as an important means of transport in Estonia up to 1990 and displays almost 200 historic bicycles. The most convenient ways to reach this museum are by car or bus; cars and buses can park for free in front of the building. The Estonian Broadcasting Museum focuses on a different area of technology: its permanent exhibition traces broadcasting history from the first test transmissions to the present day. Visitors can also create their own radio program or TV news segment there.
The Järva-Jaani Museum Center coordinates and manages four museums with exhibitions for visitors of all ages. The collection at the Järva-Jaani Vintage Technology Sanctuary includes more than 500 machines, including buses, trucks, tractors and fire engines. A separate railway museum, housed in a museum carriage, presents the history of narrow-gauge railways. The Järva-Jaani Cinema Museum displays cameras, lighting equipment and film developing and editing equipment, and has a large collection of projectors. Film screenings are also demonstrated there using a whirring film projector.
Bog landscapes and trails
The Kõrvemaa Landscape Protection Area also extends into Järva County. It protects characteristic landforms as well as forests, freshwater, heath and bog communities. Kakerdaja Bog is the largest bog in Kõrvemaa; its many bog pools lie on two levels. The Kakerdaja Nature Trail offers a four-kilometer boardwalk through the bog and a three-kilometer loop around Väike Kalajärv and Suur Kalajärv. There is parking for six cars at Suur Kalajärv. The Noku rest area has spaces for twelve cars or two buses.
The Väätsa Nature Trail is also three kilometers long and forms a loop, starting and ending at the same place. It leads through the Väätsa Landscape Protection Area, where bog forests alternate with transitional mires. The two loop trails described here are the same length but pass through different landscapes: the Kakerdaja route features lakes, while the Väätsa trail alternates between bog forest and transitional mire. Rava Oak Grove offers another glimpse of nature. It is protected, and old oaks and larches grow there, along with a pine tree several hundred years old. The lake in the grove is suitable for swimming.
Architecture, activities and crafts
Järva-Peetri Church is a three-nave hall church built in the second quarter of the 14th century. Türi railway station tells a different story of historic connections: it is a transport hub in Järvamaa and was built in 1900 along with the Tallinn–Viljandi narrow-gauge railway line. The Killavoor event has been held annually in Järva-Jaani since June 2004.
Those interested in physical activities will find a range of options: the asphalt Aravete kart track is 1.001 kilometers long and suitable for leisure and racing karting; motorcycles can also be ridden there. Türi Adventure Park has five courses, including a low ropes course for children and activities on a course 10 to 12 meters above the ground. Kilplaste Koja offers wet and needle felting workshops for beginners and experienced participants. Each of these activities has its own focus—from technological history and hands-on crafts to nature trails and physical activity.
Discover more destinations: Paide, Paide, Türi, Kahala, Käravete, Esna, Peetri, Albu, Imavere, Järva-Jaani, Koigi vald, Türi, Koeru Parish, Ambla Parish and Väätsa Parish.
For the overview of the wider destination: Estonia.
