Elva, Estonia

Elva is a town in Elva Parish, Tartu County, in southern Estonia. It grew up after the Tartu to Valga railway was built between 1886 and 1889, was first mentioned in an Estonian newspaper in 1889 and takes its name from the Elva River, which appears in books as early as the 17th century. It became a town on 1 May 1938, lost much of its centre in the Second World War, served as the district centre of Elva district from 1950 to 1962 and had its town rights restored in 1965. The town has two large lakes, Verevi, with a sandy beach popular in summer, and Arbi, with reed-grown shores, and the former railway station is now a visitor information centre. The Elva River is popular for canoeing, and the 60 kilometre Tartu Marathon ski track from Otepää ends in the town. The largest employer in the town, and in southern Estonia, is the electronics manufacturer GPV Estonia, and Elva Gümnaasium teaches pupils from first grade to graduation.