[Anatomists in the anatomical theater of Tartu (Dorpat) University].

In 1632, King Gustav II Adolphus of Sweden founded Academia Gustaviana,the predecessor of the present Tartu University in Estonia. After the reopening of the University in 1802, the development of the Faculty of Medicine started. The number of outstanding anatomists; Burdach, von Baer, Reichert, Bidder, Reissner, Kupffer, and Rauber made various discoveries at the Anatomical Theater (Theatrum Anatomicum). The present paper acquaints readers with profiles of these anatomists and their main contributions, and attempts to consider reasons of a quick development of Tartu University during rather a short period in the 19th century.