Supilinn (Soup Town)

Supilinn (Soup Town) is Tartu's most charming neighborhood — a district of wooden houses north of the old town along the Emajõgi river, with streets named after vegetables. The neighborhood was originally working-class, inhabited by market gardeners and craftspeople. Many of the 19th-century wooden houses have survived relatively intact, giving Supilinn a distinctive character unlike anywhere else in Estonia.

The neighborhood has become popular with academics, artists, and young professionals who have restored many of the houses while preserving the scale and atmosphere. Walking the vegetable streets — Herne (Pea), Oa (Bean), Porgandi (Carrot) — is one of Tartu's better slow-travel experiences. The riverside path along the Emajõgi connects Supilinn to the town centre.

things to do landmark
A story
Supilinn's streets are named after vegetables — Pea Street, Bean Street, Carrot Street, Cabbage Street — a quirk from the 19th century when this was a low-income neighborhood of market gardeners who grew produce for the city. The vegetable names survived Soviet street renaming, which preferred abstract nouns and revolutionary dates. The neighborhood is now a heritage conservation area.

Other places in Things to Do