9000-8500 BC

The first settlement at the mouth of the Pärnu River and, according to the information available so far, in Estonia

7000 BC

A human settlement by the Reiu River at the border of present-day Pärnu

1000-1200 AD

A pre-urban settlement at the mouth of the Reiu River

1241

The port of Pärnu at the mouth of the Sauga River was first mentioned in historical records

1251

The Episcopal dome church of the Osilian Diocese was inaugurated by Bishop Henrik I in the town of Pärnu (then called Perona) by the Sauga River and a cathedral school was established

1263

Pärnu was destroyed by Lithuanians and the cathedral chapter was moved to Haapsalu

1265

Uus-Pärnu (New Pärnu) was established on the left bank of the Pärnu River (then called the Embecke River) by the Livonian master of the Teutonic Order Konrad v. Mandern

1318

Uus-Pärnu extended the town bylaws, its privileges were extended by the bylaws of Riga

Around 1330

The town of Vana-Pärnu (Old Pärnu) was established by the privilege of Bishop Jakob around the former dome church

14th-15th centuries

The prosperity of the Hanse trade in Uus-Pärnu

1473

Pirates looted Vana-Pärnu

1525-26

The reformation movement; church properties were taken over by the town council of Uus-Pärnu; iconoclasm in the churches of the town

1533

Uus-Pärnu was set in fire and a priest of Vana-Pärnu was blamed; Vana-Pärnu was burnt down in the civil war of the Osilian Diocese

1560

The last commander of the Teutonic Order gave Uus-Pärnu to the Polish authorities; the beginning of the era of wars

1599

It was forbidden to rebuild Vana-Pärnu, which was destroyed in wars, and the town was liquidated

1617

The Swedish occupied Uus-Pärnu; the end of the era of wars

1623

The first pharmacy was established in Pärnu by Christopher Basow

1696

The extension of the town (by 2.5 times) and surrounding it with the belt of bastioned town wall was completed

1699

Academia Gustavo Carolina (Academia Pernaviensis) was opened in the former castle of the commander of the order and the first print shop was established

1710

The Swedish garrison of Pärnu surrendered to the Russian troops, the academy was closed and the plague spread in the town

1734-1741

The emporia of Jacob Jacke & Co. and Hans Diedrich Schmidt, which later developed into the biggest ones in Estonia due to export of grain and flax, were established in Pärnu

1762

The first (Swedish) consulate was opened in Pärnu

1779

The beginning of building seagoing sailing ships on the slipway of the emporium of Heinrich Harder & Co by the Sauga River

1798

Fr. Fleury established the first Estonian workshop for manufacturing cotton and silk ribbons in Pärnu

1837-1838

The first bathing establishment was opened in Pärnu

1857

Perno Postimees, the first regularly published newspaper in Estonian was founded in Pärnu by Johann Voldemar Jannsen

1863-64

The stone breakwaters of Pärnu were completed and Pärnu became the biggest export harbour in terms of turnover (mainly flax) in Estonia

1889

The town government bought the bathing establishment and started to develop Pärnu into the most important resort of the imperial Russia

1896

The first railway connected Pärnu to Valga; timber became the most important export article

1900-1915

Waldhof, the biggest cellulose mill of the imperial Russia operated in Pärnu

1918, February 23

The Estonian Independence Manifesto was first read out on the balcony of the Endla Theatre

1919-1920

The flax mill and M. Seiler’s engine plant, the biggest of their kind in Estonia, were established

1926

Pärnu was declared to be the holiday-making and treatment place of national importance; the construction of a new building of the mud baths was initiated

1937

The first ferry line over the Baltic Sea (from Pärnu to Stockholm) was opened; the first hotels in the functionalist style (Rannahotell and Villa Vasa) were erected

1939

The longest Estonian reinforced concrete bridge (255 m) across the Pärnu River and the biggest café of the Baltic countries (the Beach Café, 1,200 seats) were completed

1940

Estonia lost its independence and municipal property, incl. spas, were nationalised

1944

The historical downtown and new bridges were destroyed by bombing

1945-1949

The administration of the town and cultural life was reorganised according to Soviet principles

1952

Pärnu Oblast was created and a new centre of the town was built to replace the destroyed old town

1958

Pärnu Fish Processing Plant developed into the biggest fish processing company in the occupied Baltic countries

1965

For the third time, Pärnu was declared to be the resort of national importance – this time in the Soviet Union

1976

For the first time, the population of Pärnu exceeded 50,000 people

1986-1987

As the political pressure weakened, it was possible to organise international festivals (such as Jazz Fiesta, the international film festival of visual anthropology) in Pärnu once again

1990

The port of Pärnu that had been closed by the occupation authorities for 50 years opened up for all ships

1994

The marina of Pärnu fulfilled the requirements of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and was given the first Blue Flag in Eastern Europe; the World Championship for Finn-class yachts was held in Pärnu

1996

Pärnu was declared the Summer Capital of Estonia and Pärnu College of the University of Tartu was opened

2001

Pärnu celebrated its 750th anniversary

2006

The beach promenade of Pärnu was opened