Monument to Oskar Luts

The monument to Oskar Luts in Tartu is located on Vabaduse Boulevard, along the banks of the Emajõgi River. This granite and bronze sculptural composition was installed in 1987, marking the 100th anniversary of the writer’s birth. The monument was created by sculptor Aulin Rimm and architect Allan Murdmaa.

What is Oskar Luts famous for?

Oskar Luts is a classic of Estonian literature, best known for his “Toots stories” – tales like “Spring,” “Summer,” “Toots’s Wedding,” “Everyday,” and “Autumn.” Luts also wrote feuilletons, plays, and children’s stories. In his youth, the future literary classic worked as a pharmacist.

Oskar Luts was born in 1887 in the village of Järvepera. He moved to Tartu in 1918, where his literary career spanned 45 years. Throughout these years, he lived in Narva, Tallinn, and some cities in Russia. However, he always called Tartu his hometown.

From 1936, Oskar Luts lived in a house at Riia 38, where he spent the rest of his life. Today, this house serves as a museum dedicated to the writer. Luts passed away on March 23, 1953, and was buried at the Pauluse cemetery in Tartu.

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Other Points of Interest

• Near the monument to Oskar Luts, you can find the sculpture of Kalevipoeg, the hero of the Estonian national epic. This monument commemorates those who fell in the War of Independence from 1918-1920.
• Across the road from the monument is Tartu’s Town Hall Square. Here, you can see the sculpture and fountain of the Kissing Students, one of the city’s symbols.
• The best place to acquaint yourself with the history of the Estonian people is the Estonian National Museum, also located in Tartu.