J. Kern House

This is one of the oldest buildings in Valga that existed already in 1778. By the year of 1789, it was lengthened and a new wing was attached alongside Riga Street.The building is situated in the oldest medieval part of Valga, in the corner of Riga and Kesk streets nearby St. John's Church and the new Central Square, which was renovated in 2018.Initially, the building was meant to be a dwelling house with a mantel chimney in the centre, which was dismantled in the middle of the 19th century when the building was used in commercial purpose.The house belonged to potter J. Kern, who was also parish clerk and schoolmaster in Latvia. In 1855, the building belonged to merchant C. Oheim and later to N. Kovalevski who sold it to Jaan Klassmann in 1913. The latter was owner of house up to 1925. The next owner was Peeter Määrits who committed suicide due to taxation claims arising from bad economy. In 1935, the building was sold by auction to Voldemar Pihlap who had his business there up to Soviet occupation.The Soviet authorities nationalised the building and it was used as a shop. Starting from the Estonian independence, the building was deserted more than 20 years.In 2016, Valga Town became owner of the building.