| Võnnu | |
| Settlement Type: | Small borough |
| Pushpin Map: | Estonia |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Estonia |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Estonia |
| Subdivision Type1: | County |
| Subdivision Name1: | Tartu County |
| Subdivision Type2: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name2: | Kastre Parish |
| Established Title: | First mentioned |
| Established Date: | 1341 |
| Population Total: | 552 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 Census |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
Võnnu (German: Wenden) is a small borough (Estonian: alevik) in Tartu County, in Kastre Parish, Estonia. It is located about 21km (13miles) southeast of the city of Tartu. Võnnu has a population of 552 (2011).[1]
Võnnu was the administrative centre of Võnnu Parish.
Võnnu was attested in historical sources as Wenden in 1582, Wendehof in 1630, Wendo Kÿlla in 1638, and Wendohof in 1740. There are several hypotheses about the origin of the name Võnnu. The linguist compared the name to Estonian: võnnuvõõras 'unfamiliar, unknown'. The linguist Julius Mägiste compared the name to Finnish Finnish: vieno 'gentle, quiet (also referring to running water)', relating it to a swampy place. This view was also endorsed by the folklorist Matthias Johann Eisen.[2]
Saint James's Church of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church (originally constructed, 1232–1236) has been rebuilt several times,[3] and is one of the largest churches in the Estonian countryside.