Home
Vene (Vene)
Russian. There is a hypothesis that the term Vene shares the same origin as Wend (see Kanuti) and/or Vend (although debated, see also Ümera), as well as Vandal and perhaps even Vote/Votic (see Kingissepa V.), and may once have designated peoples living in or coming from the east (from German-Danish point of view), even including the Finns (The mercurial Menius lists the Vandali, Venedae, Wendi, Veltae as early inhabitants of Livonia in his Syntagma). Similarly, a tribe called Vends is said to have settled near the present-day city of Ventspils on the Venta River in the 11th or 12th C before settling in the Wenden area around 12-16th C. Some say they were the Western Slavic Wends speaking a Slavic language, others that they were related to the Livonians and Votes and spoke a Baltic-Finnic language. Further suggestions include the possibility that Wends of the 8th‑C Slavic migrations were behind the founding of Venice. Far be it for me to say ‘yea’ or ‘nay’. Let’s say a vast open question. The fact that Estonian hasn’t always differentiated V from W doesn’t help matters either. Also an archaic term for a dugout canoe or rowing-boat, usually from aspen with its sides bent out, cf. veneh, boat, in Veps, and vene in Finnish. The Püha Nikolause kirik, known as ecclesia Ruthenorum in 1380, is at No.24. Dating to 1820-1827, the Russian Orthodox church is believed to have been rebuilt over the existing church in 1442. It is named after the Greek/Turkish St Nicholas of Myra, aka Nicholas of Bari, or the Wonderworker (?270-343), patron saint of prostitutes and repentant thieves, brewers and pawnbrokers, sailors, archers and Christmas card manufacturers. This is of course Santa Claus, or Father Christmas. Same patron saint, but not to be confused with the 13-C church in Niguliste, or (because some sites do) with the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church in Laboratooriumi (built early 14th C?).
Suur-Karja (Suur-Kari)
Greater/Upper Cattle (also flock, pack, troop, crowd), once leading to pasture outside town. Earliest recorded names in a mix of various languages including vee strate, MLG for cattle or livestock street (1362), Kariestrate, Esto-MLG for cattle street (1365), Lat. Platea or Strata Pecorum, Cattle gate (see Karja värav), with an attempted later gentrification, not without a touch of condescension (starting in Latin, finishing in the vernacular) of strata pecorum vulgaritur vestrate, i.e. more or less ‘Beef Street, commonly known as Cow Street’ (1363-7) sociologically similar to the English post-Norman-Conquest use of ‘beef’, from the higher-status French term bœuf, instead of the everyday English cow/cattle. Known for a while as Michaelis-Straße / Михайловская ул. (1776), apparently after Russian victories of 1710 in the Great Northern War and a procession through the gate on Michaelmas day. Maybe. See also Väike-Karja.
Suur-Kloostri (Suur-Klooster)
Greater/Upper Abbey (convent, monastery, cloister...). After the Cistercian St. Michael’s Convent, Mihkli Klooster (1249-1629). Renamed (1950-1987) as Nooruse during the Soviet occupation.
Väike-Karja (Väike-Kari)
[Small, Lesser, Lower] Cattle. Written Veike-Karja in 1885, and known from 16-19th C as am, im or auf dem Schilde, by/in/on the shield, although why is unclear. TT, clearly uncertain about this, suggests a possible shield-shaped configuration of the Müürivahe and Karja streets, or signs (Schild in German) indicating Kuradi torn or a nearby watch-house (Schildhaus) as possible reasons. Recorded also as Малая Михайловская ул. (Malaya Mikhaylovskaya, Small Michael’s st), in 1907. See also Suur-Karja.
