Värska

Värska (Seto: Verska) is a small borough (alevik) in Setomaa Parish, Võru County in southeastern Estonia. At the 2021 Census, the settlement's population was 414. It is the most populous village of the Parish. It is famous due to its bottled mineral water known as Värska Vesi.^[1]

Värska
Church of Värska
Värska
Coordinates: 57°57′29″N 27°38′17″E
Country	Estonia
County	Võru County
Parish	Setomaa Parish
Area
• Total	4.6 km2 (1.8 sq mi)
Population  (2021)
• Total	414
• Density	90/km2 (230/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code	64001

History

Värska was first mentioned in written sources in 1585.^[2] Värska is the birthplace of the poet Paul Haavaoks (1924–1983).

Geography

Värska is located in the east of Võru County, near the border with Russia, 70 km southeast of Tartu. The town stands on the Gulf of Värska, part of Lake Pihkva.

Landmarks

The parish is associated with the Seto Museum of Farming, which opened in 1998. Also located in southern Värska in the village of Verhulitsa is the holy tree Verhulitsa Laudsi Pettäi.^[3]

See also

• Saatse Boot