Speaking at the opening were Tartu Deputy Mayor Raimond Tamm (Reform), Tartu City Writer Tõnis Vilu as well as writer Kai Aareleid, the patron of this year's Prima Vista festival.

Attendees were also treated to a performance by musical guest Silver Sepp.

Drawing on this year's festival theme, "Book as a Place, Place as a Book," a microlibrary has been set up inside the observatory for the duration of the festival. It brings into focus the materiality of books — the textures of their covers, the rustle of their pages, the meaning behind their designs and the sensory experience of reading — all the kinds of details that often go unnoticed in big libraries.

Each day of the festival, the microlibrary will showcase a unique selection. On May 6, the selection was curated by Eik Hermann. On May 7, visitors can check out a selection of bookbinding works by students of the Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA). On May 8, the selection will be curated by Lina Itagaki (Lithuania). On May 9, the books on display will be chosen by Jaak Tomberg and Andrus Laansalu.

On Wednesday afternoon, a panel discussion titled "The Book as a Physical Object" will be held starting at 3:30 p.m., featuring panelists Eik Hermann, Ulla Väljaste and Tõnis Tootsen, and moderated by Andrus Laansalu.

The discussion will cover topics including book materials, possibilities of form and their sensory significance — all the reasons why covers and pages matter.

The 2025 Tartu International Literary Festival Prima Vista is taking place from May 5-10. This year's partner city is the Southern Estonian border city of Valga, and the festival patron is writer Kai Aareleid.

Click here for more info and to check out the full Prima Vista festival program.

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