No Name Description
N/A

The Rudbārži Estate was built at the request of Baroness Thea von Firks from the aristocratic dynasty.  After a reconstruction in 1883, the building became an ornate example of Mannerism and Renaissance architecture, with decorative finishing and a larger size.  On December 15, 1905, the building was torched by revolutionaries.  The restoration began three years later under the leadership of architect L. Reinier.  The castle has a holiday hall with two marble fireplaces, the parquet in some of the rooms dates back to the early 20th century, and the outdoor doors have metal engravings.  The castle was reconstructed in 1938.  It housed a German field hospital during World War II, while after the war it housed a school for forestry workers.  In 1962, the Rudbārži school moved into the building, which is now named after Oskars Kalpaks.  A commemorative plaque outside the building is devoted to the Kalpaks battalion.  During Latvia’s liberation battles, on January 22, 1919, the Bolsheviks occupied Skrunda, and seven days later, Kalpaks’ battalion attacked from the direction of the Rudbārži Estate.  After a three-hour battle, the victory was won, with the battalion taking over a strategic line near the banks of the Venta River.   This was the first victory for Kalpaks’ men after many retreats, and that inspired the rest of the liberation battles.

N/A

The Krimulda Estate was first recorded in documents in the 15th century.  The Krimulda Castle that can be seen now is on the right bank of the ancient Gauja River valley opposite the aerial tram.  There are outstanding views of the ancient river valley from the castle and the opposite shore.  The Krimulda Castle is a Neo-Classical structure which was built by a local nobleman in the 19th century.  In the 1920s, the castle was expropriated and turned over to the Latvian Red Cross, which installed a children's sanatorium there.  Today the Krimulda rehabilitation hospital is in the building, and among other structures, the ones that have survived include the stables, threshing barn, servants' quarters, governor's quarters, and the so-called Swiss house.  Educational tours are available, and overnight stays are possible at the estate.

N/A

One of the largest castles in Kurzeme, this building has been preserved in fairly good shape.  Work on its began in the mid-13th century, and it was commissioned by the heads of the Dome Cathedral in Rīga.  In 1434, the estate was bought by the bishop of Kurzeme.  The Maidel and Osten-Sacken dynasties owned it from the 16th to the 20th century.  The Dundaga Castle burned down twice and has been rebuilt many times.  The last reconstruction was in 1905, after the castle was burned down during the revolution.  Of interest on both sides of the castle’s door are stone carvings of a knight and a bishop.  In recent years, the hotel in the castle has been renovated, as has the second floor hallway and a terrace that is popular for weddings.  There are many legends about the castle, including one about a wedding of elves and another about the Green Lady.  Today the building houses the Dundaga School of Music and Art, a hotel, party rooms, the Dundaga Tourism Information Centre and various exhibitions.  It is worth finding a guide to tour the castle.  Groups of tourists can also order tastings of local foods.

N/A

This is one of the most expressive estates built in the style of Romanticism.  Dating back to the 19th century, it is on a peninsula in Astravo, which can easily be reached from Biržu along the longest wooden bridge in Lithuania, crossing Lake Širvenos.  Covering 18 ha, the mixed-plan park was installed from 1851 until 1862.  Local fir trees, linden trees and pine trees grow in the park.

N/A

Pirmie dokumenti par Kokmuižu atrodami 1601. gada zemes revīzijas pierakstos. Tur sniegtā informācija vēsta, ka Kokmuiža pastāvējusi jau 1560. gadā. Taču 1880. gadā vācu muižnieks sākas celt kungu māju neobaroka stilā. 20. gs. sākumā tā tika izpostīta, bet 1937. gadā to pārveidoja par skolu.

Kokmuižā kādreiz atradusies alus darītava. Tas bija laika periodā no 17.- 20. gs. Tā bija viena no slavenākajām alusdarītavām visā Vidzemes guberņā.

Mūsdienās var izstaigāt muižu pats vai gida pavadībā. Var aplūkot kungu māju, staļļu ēkas, muižas pārvaldnieka namu, bibliotēku, ekspozīciju, abas klētis un alus darītavas pagrabu, kā arī sfērisko saules pulksteni.

 

N/A

The Preiļi Estate is in the southern part of Preiļi. During the Soviet era, the mansion was home to a variety of institutions. A fire burned much of the upper part of the building in 1978. The mansion was never restored, and it can only be viewed from the outside. Around it, however, is one of Latvia’s most outstanding landscape parks (mid-19th century). Irēna Kjarkuža offers interesting tours of the state, with interesting legends and songs in the Lettigalian language.

N/A

Muižas dzīvojamā ēka līdz mūsdienām nav saglabājusies. Šodien Dvietes muižas parkā ir apskatāmas muižas pārvaldnieka māja un trīs mūra saimniecības ēkas. 19. gs. veidots ainavu parks ar laukakmeņu mūrējuma tiltu. Parkā atrodas Dvietes muižas ēkas.

N/A

The Livonian Order built a fortified castle on the largest island in Lake Alūksne – Marijas Island (Pilssala Island) in 1342.  It was linked to the land by a 120 m drawbridge.  The castle had several forecastles, and it was regularly modernised and expanded until the end of the 17th century.  It was one of the largest Livonian Order Castles, with similar ones found in Vastelina and Izborsk.  Defensive barriers were put up around the castle, which survived until the Great Northern War.  Its central part was blown up by the defeated Swedish military in 1702, after which Russians completely sacked it.  All that is left are the castle ruins on the island, which is now linked to Alūksne and Temple Hill by two wooden bridges.  An open-air stage alongside the castle ruins is used for various public events.

N/A

Several of the buildings of the Šlītere Semi-Estate have survived to the present day – the servants' house (late 19th century), the pump house (mid-19th century), the smokehouse (mid-19th century), the cattle barn, etc.  A forestry building was built here in 1936 and renovated in 2010.  Since the end of 2009, the administration of the Slītere National Park has been housed here.  Today the building also houses the Kurzeme regional branch of the Environmental Protection Board.  Opposite the building are two yews, and there is a productive ivy which has covered the northern side of the servants' house.  The common yew and the Baltic ivy are symbols of Šlītere, and you can see and photograph them here without "bothering" them in their natural environment.  The pump house contains a well that is unique in Latvia – it is 34 m deep, which is nearly the height of the Blue Hills of Šlītere.  It reportedly was active until the 1970s and delivered water to the forestry system.  A fragment of the stone well can be seen as a part of the wall of the pump house.  The semi-estate is surrounded by small elements of a park, including an impressive alley of elm trees.  Locals says that pre-war Latvian President Kārlis Ulmanis spent the night at the building once while on a hunt.

N/A

Plateļu dienviddaļā plešas sakoptais Plateļu muižas (muižas vēsture ir zināma, no 16. gs.) parks, kura centrā aug Raganu osis – dižkoks 7,2 m apkārtmērā. Parkā un tā tuvākajā apkārtnē ir redzamas muižas saimniecības ēkas. Vienā no tām – atjaunotajā zirgu stallī ir izveidots muzejs, kurā var apskatīt unikālas 250 vietējo meistaru darinātās maskas. Pašreiz šī ir lielākā šāda veida masku kolekcija Baltijas valstīs. Plateļu ezerā ir atrastas trīs no ozolkoka taisītas vienkoča laivas. Viena no tām (darināta 16. gs.) atrodas Lietuvas Jūras muzejā. Otra (15. gs.) ir apskatāma atjaunotajā Plateļu muižas graudu glabātavas pagrabā (Didžioji gatve 22), jo šobrīd tiek restaurēta. Trešā laiva arī izlikta apskatei kā muzeja eksponāts.

N/A

The origins of the castle that was built in the style of Classicism date back to 1784.  Later it was rebuilt into a two-story building with a portico with four columns at its centre.  A new period in the development of the state began in 1993, when restoration of the buildings began.  The estate currently houses a children’s village, while the mansion is now a hotel.

 

N/A

The Alantos Estate is in the village of Naujasodžio, and it was built in the style of Neo-Classicism in the 19th century.  The estate is surrounded by a park with many types of trees, as well as a set of ancillary buildings.  The mansion is reminiscent of an Italian villa, and the Neo-Romantic park has alleys of trees and three ponds of various sizes.  The trees were planted so that over the course of time, their trunks would grow together to ensure mighty crowns.  Alongside the park are a few gazebos, an obelisk that stands a few metres high, as well as white marble sculptures of Venus and Jupiter.

N/A

The estate of 12 buildings and a park has survived almost completely to this very day.  The main building of the estate was erected on a largish oval island in the 1840s, and it has a moat all around it.  This was meant to resemble fortified Medieval castles.  The mansion is currently home to the local parish government, library and post office.  Visitors can take a tour of the estate and its surroundings.  There are stories about the estate to say that the baron had a beautiful daughter who, like the Rose of Turaida, refused to obey her father's instructions.  Go to Veselava, and you'll hear the whole story!

N/A

Pussalas pils pirmsākumi ir meklējami 14. gs. Tajā laikā minētā pils bija viena no lielākajām šāda tipa aizsardzības pilīm. Pēc Traķu un Viļņas ieņemšanas 1382. g. pils kļuva par Ķēstutu (Kęstutis) - Lietuvas dižkunigaišu dzimtas dzīves un valdīšanas vietu. 1655. g. Polijas – Lietuvas lielvalsts un Krievijas kara laikā pili nopostīja. Līdz mūsdienām no iespaidīgās celtnes (aizņēma 4 ha platību) saglabājušās tikai no laukakmeņiem celtā aizsargmūra un torņu paliekas. Tās iekšpagalmā ir apskatāma efektīvā viduslaiku ieroča – katapultas atdarinājums.

N/A

The Castle was restored recently and now exhibits life and history of a noble family on three floors. Tour guides have numerous stories and legends to tell, visitors can make their personal castle souvenirs.
Kivi Kõrts (www.kivikorts.ee) near the castle is a pub with simple meals from locally sourced produce, characteristic to the Estonian cuisine and the Peipsi area.

N/A

The Buse (Matkule) castle hill is next to the Imula River.  The hill and the opposite bank of the river offer one of the loveliest views of small rivers in Kurzeme.  They are best seen during the season when trees are bare so that leaves do not cover up the landscapes.  There are trails for pedestrians in the area.

N/A

The castle was built during the first half of the 19th century in Tudor Neo-Gothic forms.  The first owner of the castle was Baron Johann Gottlieb von Wolff.  During the 1870s and 1880s it was rebuilt in the style of French Neo-Renaissance.  The castle was burned down during the 1905 Revolution, but it was restored with certain elements of Art Nouveau forms.  Tours are available of the interior of the building.

N/A

This convent-type castle was built in the mid-13th century by the bishopric of Piltene.  Annexes were added in the 16th and 19th centuries to create a typical internal courtyard.  The Neo-Gothic forms of the castle’s façade date back to the 1830s.  From the 16th century to the 1920, the castle was owned by the noble Behr family.  After it was burned down during the 1905 Revolution, the castle was rebuilt in two years’ time.  The castle is known for ghost stories, tales of elf weddings, and stains of blood in the Red Room that are supposedly the result of a murder.  A fireplace was built to hide the stains, but they reappeared.  Since the privatisation of the castle, the interior has been restored with halls and cellars that are decorated with elements that are typical to the castle.  Its rooms and viewing tower are open to the public.  In the park, visitors will find the Alley of Love and the elf oak tree.

N/A

Tāšu – Padures muiža (Tasch – Paddern) celta 19. gs. sākumā kā Korfu dzimtas pils, kas 1852. gadā pāriet Keizerlingu dzimtas īpašumā kā medību pils, kas kalpojusi kā vasaras mītne, un ir izcils vēlīnā klasicisma paraugs. Iekštelpās saglabājušies vairāki senā interjera apdares fragmenti. Pēc pils pabeigšanas, ap to sāka veidot vairāk kā 10 ha lielu parku ar svešzemju kokiem. Šobrīd muižas ēkā atrodas Kalvenes pamatskola.

N/A

The Šilute Estate is often described on the basis of its last owner, Hugo Scheu, who bought the estate in 1889.  He restored the estate's buildings and territory, also installing two parks, one for the estate, and the other one known as the "raven forest." Alongside the estate is an English-type park with strolling trails.  The park is used by local residents and is on both sides of the curvy Scheu River, with the banks connected by pedestrian bridges.  He park stretches to an old railroad bridge and has approximately 150 types of plants, including 40 types of trees and shrubs.