Trebsen Castle was probably built by Slavic Gaugraf Bucelinin 991 AD to protect the former Muldefurt, an important trade route. The castle was first mentioned in a document dated in May 1, 1161.
In 1494 the knight Georg von Saalhausen demolished the old castle and started building a new more representative castle without a defensive function. Around 1511, the electoral chamberlain Hans von Minckwitz became lord of the castle on Trebsen. Hi and his son completed the first major construction phase as a four-wing complex with stepped gables and diamond vaults.
In 1736, the bourgeois merchant Vincent Bauman from Hamburg became the owner of the castle. In 1738 he had the mighty round tower almost 18 meters in diameter in the castle courtyard demolished for the most part. With its building material and with the inclusion of older ground floor buildings, the south wing was rebuilt, as indicated by the keystone above the gate entrance. Baumann also had the palace gardens laid out in the English style, with the baroque garden pavilion being created.
Today the castle hosts weddings and historic restaurant.
References:House of the Blackheads (Melngalvju nams) is a building situated in the old town of Riga. The original building was erected during the first third of the 14th century for the Brotherhood of Blackheads, a guild for unmarried German merchants in Riga. Major works were done in the years 1580 and 1886, adding most of the ornaments.
The structure was bombed to a ruin by the Germans June 28, 1941 and the remains demolished by the Soviets in 1948. The current reconstruction was erected from 1995 to 1999. Today the House of Blackheads serves as a museum and sometimes concert hall.