Estonia’s second-largest city, Tartu, has just completed an unusual new visitor attraction and meeting venue: the Lodjakoda workshop complex.
The EUR 2.4m facility on the banks of the Emajõgi river is chiefly dedicated to construction of lodi barges, a traditional type of vessel that sailed the waterways of south Estonia from the Middle Ages right up until the pre-World War Two era. These barges all disappeared until a group of enthusiasts revived the tradition in the early 2000s. The complex, which comprises three modern buildings on a 1.4-hectare plot, will also operate as a theme park, museum and exhibition centre where guests can learn about the lodi’s history and the boatbuilding process.
Facilities include a shipbuilding hall, a smithy, a carpenter’s workshop, an exhibition and seminar room, and a café. The Lodjakoda will be open to visitors starting in October.
Tartu, with a population of 100,000, is Estonia’s primary university town and has become a popular destination for academic and research conferences.
