About Valga County
Valga County: Valga County is one of the youngest and smallest counties in Estonia having a 101 kilometre long border with the Republic of Latvia. The County of about 40 thousand inhabitants and 2046.49 square kilometres in area lies in South-Estonia. The centre of the County is Valga — a twin town with the Latvian border runs through the town. Valga County was founded on February 12, 1919. It was formed on the basis of 17 municipalities that were taken from the neighbouring counties: seven municipalities from Viljandi County, four from Tartu County and six from Võru County. Right now there are 2 town, 11 rural municipalities, 7 boroughs and 149 villages in Valga County.
Valga County in known for its unspoilt nature and original historic buildings and cultural traditions.
There are more than 180 lakes and lakeletes, hills, caves, manor-houses, parks and the nature reserves of Karula national Park, Otepää Nature Park and Koiva Landscape Reserve.
The Sangaste castle, built in the style of the famous Windsor Castle, can be visited.
Helme sand caves were the first big ancient refugee-caves in Estonia.
M.A.Barclay de Tolly's (the famous Russian military leader) burial place and mausoleum is in Jõgeveste, near Tõrva.
Valgjärve (Koorküla chain of lakes) hides a unique stake building that is more than thousand years old.
The Estonian tricolour, blue-black-white was consecrated in Otepää Church. In 1884 it was the flag of Estonian Students’ Society.
A locomotive monument, erected in 1988 in Valga, marks 110 years anniversary of railway connection between Pihkva-Valga-Riga.
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