This winter, Tartu Town Hall Square will once again transform into a cozy Christmas City. Visitors will be greeted by several space-inspired pavilions inviting them to explore the beauty of the starry sky. Schools are welcome to participate in Tartu Observatory’s orienteering game, "Adventure in Space".
The Christmas City invites visitors to explore a starry sky display featuring well-known constellations alongside the stars studied by the scientists at Tartu Observatory in Tõravere. Interactive buttons allow visitors to listen to ancient Estonian and Greek legends about constellations like Cassiopeia, the Big Dipper, and Lyra.
Visitors can take a closer look at the Orion constellation. "Orion, like other constellations, is a human-made pattern that helps us navigate the night sky. The stars are located at varying distances in space, and from outside our Solar System, they would not form the same shapes. Constellations are illusions shaped by our perspective rather than the Universe's actual structure," explained Tõnis Rüütel, the Development Manager of Tartu Observatory’s Visitor Centre. Beneath the Orion constellation, the surface of the Moon and Estonian achievements on the Moon are showcased. The pavilions bridge scientific reality and imagination, inviting visitors to marvel at the Universe’s beauty and vastness.
On December 11 from 10 to 13, school groups are invited to participate in the orienteering game called "Adventure in Space". Completing the course takes approximately 30 minutes. To participate, classes are kindly asked to register in advance via the form on the ESERO Estonia website.
The legends were collected and written by Mare Ruusalepp, the map was created by Kalju Annuk, and the scientific content was added by Heleri Ramler, Indrek Kolka, Laurits Leedjärv, and Tõnis Eenmäe from Tartu Observatory. The texts are read by Kaili Viidas.
The Christmas City on Tartu Town Hall Square opens on November 30 and will remain open until January 5.
Read more about Tartu’s Christmas City.