Värska Camp – Petseri Northern Camp

Värska military camp with the official name Eesti Vabariigi Kaitseväe Petseri Põhjalaager (Petseri Northern Camp of the Defence Forces of the Republic of Estonia) was established at the initiative of general Nikolai Reek in 1926. Total project cost 45 million cents, while the State budget gave only 5 millions. Timber- came from own forest, and own timber-mill and carpenter produced necessary building material. Construction work was done by soldiers themselves under the supervision of hired master builders.
By 1930, construction of the soldiers’ barracks, the staff building, the dwelling-houses for the families of the officers, for commander of the camp and the commandant, also the bakery, the shop, the casino (500 seats), the stables and other buildings were completed. On the opposite bank of the lake the artillery barracks, the stables and the carpentry (produced even skis for soldiers) were erected. Infantrymen, cavalrymen and gunners from all over Estonia performed their military service in the camp. In  winter only the guard service resided here. In spring, with the arrival of soldiers, warships and passenger boats came excitement and earning possibilities for local people and the population of Värska increased manyfold.
After Estonia was occupied by Soviet troops in 1941 the camp was liquidated. The majority of the officers were arrested and deported and their further destiny is unknown, many buildings were demolished. In total 13 buildings have been demolished over the years. Former flagsquare is an open-air theatre for singing festivals and on the former stadium Seto Farm Museum has been erected.

The village of Verhuulitsa and Laudsi pettai

A small village is situated on the eastern bank of steep Mustoja valley. The one-street village of Verhuulitsa was once crossed by Livonian-Russian trade-route and therefore had two gates in both ends. Every night at sunset the gates were closed and the merchants who travelled by night, had to camp and wait for the sunrise in order to get forth.
Laudsi pettai is an old pine, 3.35meters circumference and 12 meters high. Several ancient rites took place under this tree.

The village of Treski, great swing and tsässon

In the ancient chronicles in 1652 the village was mentioned under the name of Troska. The origin of the name comes from Russian word “trotsnik” – which means “thatch”, because thatch was used as the roof-material instead of usual straw. The village has an old tradition to celebrate the Midsummer Day with bonfire and party.

Tonja

This is a cosy place to spend your holiday in beautiful nature. On the one hand there is a calm and beautiful lake and on the other hand sighing forest. Tonja is an ancient linear fishermens’ village, where all farms in the village have been built in rows parallel to the shore of Lake Peipsi. In the middle of the village stands the house of seto folksinger Anne Vabarna (21.12.1877 – 07.12.1964). One kilometre away in Võporsova village a granite memorial marks the birthplace of the mother of song (sculptor Elmar Rebane). The rich heritage of Anne Vabarna consists of over 100 000 runic verses, as well as the other oral folklore. Her illiteracy was compensated by her excellent memory, which had helped her to memorise this amount of verses.