Valga - City of Estonia

Valga is a town in southern Estonia and the capital of Valga County. Until their separation in 1920, Valga and the town of Valka in northern Latvia were one town. They are now twin-towns. As of December 21, 2007 all border-crossing points were removed and roads and fences opened between the two countries with both countries joining the Schengen Agreement.

Valga is situated at the junction of roads and railways. The Tallinn-Tartu-Riga railway is connected via Tapa with the Tallinn-Narva-St Petersburg main line. Valga is an international railway junction. Since there is no railway station in Valka, trains coming from Riga stop at nearby Lugaži, before continuing to Valga. During the Cold War, Valga was home to Valga air base. With the expansion of the Schengen Agreement and the abolishment of systematic border controls between Estonia and Latvia, it was announced that common public bus transport would be launched between Valga and Valka.

Valga is developing quickly. Since 1996, the populace's quality of life has improved due to the renovation of several buildings, including the Central Library, Valga Stadium, the Museum, Valga Hospital, and the Culture and Hobby Centre. Step by step, the schools and kindergartens are also being modernized. Since 2003, a new water treatment plant has improved the quality of water in the town.

In the private sector, there have been extensive investments in trade, light industry, and forestry.

1286: Valga appears for the first time in the credit register of the city of Riga.
1298, 1329, 1345: Walk suffers from looting raids made by Lithuanians who are led by Grand Duke Gediminas and Algirdas on the second and third occasions.
1419 Walk becomes the seat of the Landtag of the Livonian Confederation.
1481: A looting raid by Russians; the settlement burns down for the fourth time.
1500: Walk, a settlement in the heart of Old Livonia that is not fortified, is chosen as the location for town assembly days 36 times up to 1500.
1501: During another raid by Russians the settlement gets burnt down for the fifth time.
1988. The Valga Society for the Protection of Antiquities is founded. On 27 November, on the initiative of the Society, the beginning of the War of Liberation is commemorated at the memorial for those killed in the war.
1989, 24 February: The first Estonian flag of the re-established independence period is hoisted on the flagpole of 12 Aia Street.
1992, 24 May: The Russian army base in Valga is taken over, and later on becomes the border guard's post.
1993, 17 October: The first free elections of the municipal council after the restoration of independence take place.
1994, 31 January: On the 75th anniversary of the battle of Paju a memorial to it is opened. On 21-25 June, worldwide days of Valga county people take place.