Võru was established in 1784 during the reign of Empress Catharine II to be the centre of this tiny part of the Russian Empire where there were no large towns. The town grew rapidly from the end of the 19th century up to the year 1944 when it was virtually levelled during World War II. Several old wooden buildings in the centre survived the devastation. Places of Interest: One of the houses of Kreutzwaldi street has a special meaning for Estonians. The doctor who lived and worked there during the last century was Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald. He put together Estonian's national epic, Kalevipoeg, in the garret of this very house, which is now a memorial museum to him. Baroque 18th -century St. Catherine's church in Jüri street has a theatre-set altar and pulpit. The Võru Museum at the corner of Koidula and Kreeutzwaldi Street is quite interesting.
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