Karl Ernst von Baer Statue

Karl Ernst von Baer is one of Estonia’s most famous scientists. He’s considered to be the “father of embryology.” On the 10th anniversary of his death, a monument was erected in a park in Tartu, the city where he received his university education and spent his final years.

Every April 30, the local medical students partake in a strange ritual involving the statue. They gather at the monument and dump champagne on the man’s head. In addition to this “shower,” the students also adorn the statue with a necktie.