Monument to Theodor Lippmaa
The monument to Theodor Lippmaa is located within the Tartu Botanical Garden. It features a bronze bust set on a circular pedestal made of red granite. The pillar is engraved with his name, academic degree, and lifespan.
Who is Theodor Lippmaa
Theodor Lippmaa was an Estonian scientist and biologist, known for his work in plant geography. Born on November 17, 1892, in Riga, he graduated from the Faculty of Natural Sciences at the University of Tartu in 1925 and became an associate professor there in 1926. From 1930, he served as the director of both the Tartu Botanical Garden and the Botanical Institute.
Lippmaa’s work spanned various scientific fields, but his primary focus was the study of Estonia’s nature. He initiated the mapping of the republic’s vegetation in 1934 and is considered a pioneer of the synusia method in geobotany.
Theodor Lippmaa gathered scientific data during fieldwork across Estonia and also conducted research abroad. He studied plants in Altai, Lapland, France, Algeria, the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Canada, and the USA.
From 1935 to 1938, Lippmaa chaired the Estonian Nature Conservation Council and became a member of the Estonian Academy of Sciences in 1939. He led the Estonian Naturalists’ Society from 1939 to 1941.
Theodor Lippmaa died on January 27, 1943, during a World War II bombing. That day, Soviet forces bombed Tartu, then occupied by the Germans. He, his daughter, his wife, and his wife’s relatives perished and were buried in Tallinn at the Rahumäe cemetery.
Monument History
The monument to Theodor Lippmaa in Tartu was unveiled in 1982, and created by the sculptor Olav Männi. In 1998, the monument was registered in the National Registry.
Map Location
Other Points of Interest
- One of Tartu’s most beautiful monuments is the sculpture of Kalevipoeg, erected to honor those who fell in the War of Independence.
- The city’s most recognizable and famous symbol is the sculpture of Kissing Students, located in the Town Hall Square.
- A beautiful photo can be taken next to the Struve monument, set up to commemorate the renowned astronomer.