Raekoja Plats Cam in Tartu

If you’re a student of the arts and like a heavy duty culture fix then Tartu should be on your list of places to visit. Art is everywhere in Tartu, Estonia’s university city. And you don’t need to pay a gallery or museum entrance fee to see it.

In Tartu you can see art for free as you wander the streets. There are murals and graffiti everywhere. You can contemplate it while drinking coffee or even better when the weather is chilly, while sipping on a glass of mulled wine sitting in one of the cafes in the Raekoja Plats, the Town Hall Square. There’s really no escaping art in Tartu, unless you’re viewing Tartu via this live feed. In that case you may just be able to spot the top of the bronze umbrella which protects the city’s most famous statue, the Kissing Students, from the elements.

The Kissing Students statue was added to the fountain, which has been a central feature of Tartu’s Town Hall Square since the 1940s, around thirty years ago. In those three decades it’s become iconic and one of the city’s top attractions. Created by sculptor Mati Karmin, it’s a vibrant work of art that represents the youthful characteristics of the city. Sadly, if you want to see it in close-up, you’ll need to go to Tartu or if you’re not planning on travelling any time soon, Google it.