Kolodavitsa is a chain village whose set-back farmsteads and winding village road reveal how the settlement fits into the terrain. The road follows the contours and offers views of Koplioru, an open landscape with varied terrain and groups of pine and birch trees. With a section of the Metsa hiking trail and traces of historic construction and production, the village offers several distinct points of interest. This makes it possible to choose a destination based on the village layout, landscape, local history or hiking.

Village history with a clear date

Kolodavitsa is a long-established village on the eastern border of Livonia. The two former parts of the village were reunited as a single village in 1977. This brings two historical perspectives together: the village’s long-established roots and a specific, dated change in its layout. The year 1977 dates the merger; it should be distinguished from the older historical border location. The village’s history is thus linked to both a place and a time.

Farmsteads, road and orientation

Kolodavitsa is a chain village: its farmsteads are set back from the village road. At the beginning of the access road to almost every farmstead, there are signs with the farmstead names, mostly designed in a consistent style. They mark the farmstead entrances along the road, while their set-back location defines the character of this settlement form. The winding village road follows the contours and offers views of Koplioru. Two scales thus come together: the arrangement of farmsteads along the village road and the view from the village out across the surrounding landscape.

Open landscape in Koplioru

Kolodavitsa is located in Koplioru. The terrain is varied, and groups of pine and birch trees break up the open village landscape. The tree groups add accents to the open landscape, while the changing terrain adds another dimension. Together with the views from the winding village road, they create a tangible connection between the settlement’s layout and the landscape.

Traces of construction and economic history

Technical and economic traces are also part of the area’s history. The Piiroja railway underpass is located near Kasteheina in Kolodavitsa village and was built in 1930. A brickworks stood in Suure-Kolodavitsa on land leased by Alfred Saul; bricks were made there. The two have distinct histories: the underpass is a structure with a specific construction year, while the brickworks was a former production site. The village’s history thus ranges from its layout to technical and economic activity.

The Metsa hiking trail

The Kolodavitsa–Värska section is the 20th section of the Metsa hiking trail. Its number and the names of the two places identify it within the trail. On a documented hike along the Kolodavitsa–Värska section, paper maps, landmarks and information boards were used for orientation. If you are planning your own hike, it is a good idea to check in advance which of these aids are currently available along the route.

When choosing a destination for your stay, it is useful to distinguish between these topics: the Metsa section identifies the hiking route between Kolodavitsa and Värska, while the chain-village layout and construction history characterize the village itself. If you are looking for hotels in Kolodavitsa, you can decide whether the hiking trail or the village’s history is more central to your trip.

Discover more destinations: Värska, Õrsava, Nedsaja and Perdaku.

Back to the main travel overview: Värska.