II Estonian-Latvian History Conference: 730 Years from First Mentioning of Valga/Valka
Background of the Conference
Valga was first mentioned in written sources, in this case, the debt book of the city of Riga, in the year 1286. The settlement likely existed several decades earlier, as the trade route between Riga and Tartu passed through here, and Valga was the place where the dragging route of watercraft from one basin to another began or ended.
The conference was moderated by the then Mayor of Valga, Kalev Härk, who also pointed out that the year 2016 was remarkable for several anniversaries, such as the 200th anniversary of the completion of the Valga St. John's Church and the 160th birth anniversary of the well-known educator and social figure Hans Einer. However, the conference focused on the twin town of Valga-Valka and its development through the centuries.
Conference materials are avalable in the Estonian version of the museum website.