Suure-Jaani () is a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

in the northern part of the county of

Viljandimaa Viljandi County ( or ''Viljandimaa''; ) is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is located in southern Estonia bordering Pärnu, Järva, Jõgeva, Tartu and Valga counties as well as Latvia. History Viljandimaa, under the German name of ''Kreis ...

in Põhja-Sakala rural municipality, 25 kilometres north of the town of

Viljandi Viljandi (, , , , ) is a Populated places in Estonia, town and Municipalities of Estonia, municipality in southern Estonia with a population of 17,255 in 2024. It is the capital of Viljandi County and is geographically located between two major ...

. Until 2017, Suure-Jaani was the administrative centre of Suure-Jaani rural municipality.

History

The oldest archaeological findings from the area date back to the 6th millennium B.C. At the end of the 12th century A.D., the Lehola

hill fort A hillfort is a type of fortification, fortified refuge or defended settlement located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typical of the late Bronze Age Europe, European Bronze Age and Iron Age Europe, Iron Age. So ...

of ancient Estonians was built at a location (now known as Lõhavere) approximately two kilometres north-east of the present town border. The hill fort was the centre of the northernmost district (Estonian: ''kihelkond'') in the historical Estonian county of Sakala and also one of the centres of Estonians' fight against the conquest of German Sword Brethren in the 13th century, including in the Battle of Lehola. Not much except the hill remains of it but the place (known in Estonian also as ''

Lembitu Lembitu (Estonian language, Estonian also: Lembit, died 21 September 1217) was an ancient Estonian senior (Elder (administrative title), elder) from Sakala County and military leader in the struggle against Livonian crusade, conquest of the Est ...

linnamägi'') is still visited as a tourist attraction. 2/3 of the hill-fort have been excavated archaeologically. Suure jaani church

The locality of Suure-Jaani was initially called Wallola (or "Valle"), first recorded in 1423(?). The town began to develop around the (now

Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

) Church of Great Saint

John the Evangelist John the Evangelist ( – ) is the name traditionally given to the author of the Gospel of John. Christians have traditionally identified him with John the Apostle, John of Patmos, and John the Presbyter, although there is no consensus on how ...

(''Groß Sankt Johannis'' in German), built before the year 1300.Home page of the Suure-Jaani Church of Great Saint John at the website of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church (in Estonian)
There is a Lutheran cemetery near the church. The church was severely damaged during the

Livonian War The Livonian War (1558–1583) concerned control of Terra Mariana, Old Livonia (in the territory of present-day Estonia and Latvia). The Tsardom of Russia faced a varying coalition of the Denmark–Norway, Dano-Norwegian Realm, the Kingdom ...

(1558–1582) and the

Great Northern War In the Great Northern War (1700–1721) a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern Europe, Northern, Central Europe, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the ant ...

(1700–1721), particularly the latter (the church was burnt down in 1703 and the restoration was completed only in 1767). The present name, "Suure-Jaani" (literally meaning "Great John's"), which came into widespread use for the locality only in the 1880s, when it developed into a village in its own right, is an Estonian derivative from the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

name of the church. Until then, the name "Suure-Jaani" was used only for the church as well as its immediate surroundings (the church estate), while other areas of the present town were separate villages: Valula (or Wallola; the southern part of the present town of Suure-Jaani), Nuutre (the eastern part) and Päraküla (or Perraküla; the north-western part; one part of the traditional Päraküla still being a separate village nowadays). During centuries, Suure-Jaani was one of the centres of Suure-Jaani parish (which was in 1629–1721 administratively a part of

Swedish Livonia Swedish Livonia () was a dominion of the Swedish Empire from 1629 until 1721. The territory, which constituted the southern part of modern Estonia (including the island of Ösel ceded by Denmark after the Treaty of Brömsebro) and the northe ...

, in 1721–1918 a part of the

Governorate of Livonia The Governorate of Livonia, also known as the Livonia Governorate, was a province (''guberniya'') and one of the Baltic governorates of the Russian Empire, Baltic Governorate-General until 1876. Governorate of Livonia bordered Governorate of E ...

and as from 1918 a part of the Republic of Estonia) and, since the end of the 19th century, also the cultural and commercial centre of the parish region. In 1906–1908, Sts. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church was built at the village of Valula (now Suure-Jaani). The Orthodox congregation had already been established in the nearby village of

Olustvere Olustvere () is a small borough () in Põhja-Sakala Parish, Viljandi County in central Estonia. It has a population of 465 (as of 2009). During the 19th century and supposedly earlier, the area surrounding the Olustvere estate and its manor (su ...

in 1847. In 1911, an Orthodox cemetery was established at Valula (now Suure-Jaani), replacing the former Orthodox cemetery, which was located in the village of

Reegoldi Reegoldi () is a village in Põhja-Sakala Parish, Viljandi County in Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by ...

near Olustvere. As from 1989 Sts. Peter and Paul Church was not used for services for a couple of decades but is being restored since 2018 and is being used, since the late 2010s, for Orthodox religious services again. In 1924, Suure-Jaani was granted the rights of a town (Estonian: ''alev'') and in 1938, it was granted city rights. In 1950–1959, Suure-Jaani was the capital of Suure-Jaani District (of the

Estonian SSR The Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic, (abbreviated Estonian SSR, Soviet Estonia, or simply Estonia ) was an administrative subunit ( union republic) of the former Soviet Union (USSR), covering the occupied and annexed territory of Estonia ...

). The 1950s also marked the all-time peak number (approximately 1700) in the population of the town. During the administrative reform in 1960, Suure-Jaani District was dissolved and became part of the larger Viljandi District (now the county of Viljandimaa). In 2005, a new Suure-Jaani rural municipality was formed by the town of Suure-Jaani (which had been a separate urban municipality until then), the former separate Suure-Jaani rural municipality and Olustvere and Vastemõisa rural municipalities. Therefore, the town is not a separate municipality any more but retains its city rights. On 21 October 2017, Suure-Jaani rural municipality united with the city of

Võhma Võhma is a List of cities and towns in Estonia, town in Põhja-Sakala Parish, Viljandi County, central Estonia. History The settlement dates to the sixteenth century. The German-language name of the town was Wöchma. It began to grow when a ra ...

and the

Kõo Kõo () is a village in Viljandi County, Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from ...

and Kõpu rural municipalities to form the new Põhja-Sakala rural municipality.

Geography

Suure-Jaani is situated in Sakala Upland, offering picturesque views with its park, two artificial lakes and church in the centre of the town.

Transport

Due to its small size, Suure-Jaani has no urban transport. The town has a bus stop for intercity lines. The nearest railway station is at

(5 km). The nearest towns are

(12 km),

(25 km),

Põltsamaa Põltsamaa is a town in Põltsamaa Parish, Jõgeva County, in central Estonia. The town stands on the Põltsamaa River, and it features a Põltsamaa Castle, 13th-century castle. History During the German occupation in World War II, a subcamp of ...

(28 km) and

Vändra Vändra () is a borough () in Põhja-Pärnumaa Parish in Pärnu County, Estonia. It has a population of 2,191 (in 2016) and an area of 3.28 km² (1.27 sq mi). Sights On Old Church Hill there is an underground cemetery called Kabelias, wh ...

(32 km). The distance of Suure-Jaani from

Tallinn Tallinn is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Estonia, most populous city of Estonia. Situated on a Tallinn Bay, bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, it has a population of (as of 2025) and ...

, the capital of Estonia, is 143 km. Heliloojate Kappide Majamuuseum

Culture

During the

Estonian national awakening The Estonian Age of Awakening () is a period in history where Estonians came to acknowledge themselves as a nation deserving the right to govern themselves. This period is considered to begin in the 1850s with greater rights being granted to com ...

period in the 19th century, Suure-Jaani parish was one of the regional centres of educational, cultural and social life (largely as a result of the efforts of schoolmaster and musician Joosep Kapp and also e.g. as the parish of origin of the first Estonian professional painter

Johann Köler Johann Köler (8 March 1826 – 22 April 1899) was a leader of the Estonian national awakening and a painter. He is considered as the first professional painter of the emerging nation. He distinguished himself primarily by his portraiture and to ...

, who both actively contributed to the development and promotion of Estonian culture). Presently, Suure-Jaani hosts the Suure-Jaani Music Festival, an annual summer festival of classical music started in 1998, dedicated to the Kapp family of composers. Suure-Jaani is also the place of establishment of the International

Artur Kapp Artur Kapp (28 February 1878 – 14 January 1952) was an Estonians, Estonian composer. Born in Suure-Jaani, Estonia, then part of the Governorate of Livonia, Russian Empire, he was the son of Joosep Kapp, who was also a classically trained mu ...

Society, a non-profit foundation for promoting the works and life of composer Artur Kapp and other composers related to Suure-Jaani, such as

Mart Saar Mart Saar ( in Hüpassaare – 28 October 1963) was an Estonian composer, organist and collector of folk songs. Childhood Saar was born in the small borough of Hüpassaare (now in Karjasoo, Suure-Jaani Parish), Kreis Fellin in the Livonia ...

Places of interest

* Church of Great Saint John the Evangelist * Home museum of the Kapp family of composers and musicians * Monument of the

Estonian War of Independence The Estonian War of Independence, also known as the War of Freedom in Estonia, was a defensive campaign of the Estonian Army and its allies, most notably the United Kingdom, against the Soviet Russian westward offensive of 1918–1919 and the ...

(depicting

of Lehola) * Lehola hill fort (''Lembitu linnamägi'') of ancient Estonians at Lõhavere (nearby, in Põhja-Sakala rural municipality) * Home museum of composer Mart Saar at Hüpassaare (in Põhja-Sakala rural municipality) * Home museum of painter Johann Köler at Lubjassaare farm (Ivaski village in Põhja-Sakala rural municipality) *

Soomaa National Park Soomaa National Park () is a national park in south-western Estonia. Soomaa ("land of bogs") protects 390 km2, the park was created in 1993. Soomaa has been an Important Bird Area since 1989, a Ramsar site of protected wetlands since 1997, ...

(20–30 km south-west of Suure-Jaani)

Notable people

* Ado Johanson (1874–1932), agronomist and agricultural figure * Aleksander Kapp (1874–1940), church figure and politician *

(1878–1952), composer * Joosep Kapp (1833–1894), developer of Estonian education and culture *

Villem Kapp Villem Kapp (7 September 1913 – 24 March 1964) was an Estonians, Estonian composer, organist and music teacher. Life Born in Suure-Jaani, in the Governorate of Livonia of the Russian Empire (now Estonia), Villem Kapp was the son of who was a ...

(1913–1964), composer *

Tõnis Kint Tõnis Kint ( – 5 January 1991) was an Estonian politician. He served as "Prime Minister in duties of the President" (in other words, Estonian head of state in exile) from 23 December 1970 to 1 March 1990. From 7 April 1938 member of the Chamb ...

(1896–1991), politician, Estonian Prime Minister and President in exile in 1970–1990 * Albert Kivikas (1898–1978), writer *

(1826–1899), painter * Paul Kondas (1900–1985), painterHome page of the Suure-Jaani Secondary School (in Estonian)
/ref> *

Felix Moor Felix Moor (12 April 1903, Suure-Jaani – 15 May 1955, Tallinn) was an Estonian actor and speech teacher. He was the first Estonian radio reporter. 1924 he finished Estonian Drama Studio Theatre school (). 1925-1927 he was actor at Drama Studio ...

(1903–1955), the first Estonian radio reporter *

(1882–1963), composer * Herman Simm (born 1947), convicted traitor *

Helen Tobias-Duesberg Helen Tobias-Duesberg (11 June 1919 – 4 February 2010) was an Estonian- American composer. Life Helen Tobias was born in Suure-Jaani, Estonia on 11 June 1919. Tobias was the youngest daughter of Estonian composer, Rudolf Tobias, born seven mon ...

(1919–2010), composer *

Roman Toi Roman Toi (18 June 1916 – 7 May 2018) was an Estonian-Canadian composer, choir conductor, and organist. Influenced by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Toi's music is melodic, lyrical, and melancholic in style. His compositional output includes nine ...

(1916–2018), conductor and composer * Priit Toobal (born 1983), politician

References

External links

{{Authority control Cities and towns in Estonia Former municipalities of Estonia Põhja-Sakala Parish Kreis Fellin