Jaunpils Castle, Jaunpils, Latvia

Jaunpils Castle was erected in 1301 by the Master of the German branch of the Livonian Order, Gottfried von Roga. The tower was added in the 15th century. The castle was heavily damaged in war by Swedes in 1625. Later a third floor was added and the old fortress became a manor with all conveniences in the end of the 17th century. The building was partly reconstructed in 18th century. The castle was burned down during the Russian Revolution of 1905. A year later it was rebuilt by architect Wilhelm Bockslaff.

From the 16th century until 1920 the castle belonged to the family of the Baltic German baron von der Recke. One of the family members who lived there in the 18th century was the poet Elisa von der Recke. After the Latvian agrarian reforms of 1920s, the castle complex housed a cattle-breeding experimental station. During the Soviet occupation of Latvia, the interior of the castle was heavily reconstructed and today Jaunpils castle has typical Soviet interiors from the 1960s. More of a manor house than properly a fortified castle, it has now been converted into a hotel.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Agnese Ozola [Zalcmane] (2 years ago)
Spent a night in the luxury room of Jaunpils castle with an infant. This was our third time there and we are going to be back next year or so. The room is great, the food tasty. 1 star less for service because the restaurant works till 7pm only and it takes ages to fill the bathtub. But the hostesses were very welcoming.

Jekaterina Minajeva (2 years ago)
The excursion was great, we've laughed all the time, the monk and maid were so professional, it was a great experience, very interesting, everyone from our company of 15 people had the best time! Thank you! And the food was sooo delicious, really tasty. Recommend it as a great timespending???

Brennan Davis (3 years ago)
Quiet, peaceful, and tucked away in the Latvian countryside. Delicious tavern located in the inner courtyard, you can just tour around the groups and pop in for a cold beer and venison burger or a gorgeously colored pomegranate seed and goat cheese salad. Make sure to explore around the castle grounds, and see the derelict former mill which has some near ruins and instruments hanging around outside the mill. Stunning old church next to the castle, and archery practice grounds as well. Well worth the day trip from Riga.

Linda Dzerkale (3 years ago)
Our stay in the Jaunpils castle was absolutely wonderful from start to finish! The staff was friendly and nice. The medieval diner was delicious and so copious, we still have leftovers in the fridge! The atmosphere in the “tavern” was great and made us travel back in time. We stayed in the Baron room. The room had an “authentic” feel, yet it had all the modern comfort and was very clean. It was a very spacious room, with a great view, comfortable bed, and the fireplace made it so cosy! We also did a tour. The guide was great and taught us new things in a very fun way! We will definitely go back there as it was a perfect stay!

Vents Dzerkalis (3 years ago)
Great place to visit, at the start I was sceptical of this visit, but it turned out better than ever! Friendly and helpful staff, Food was great, location is convenient (~1h from Riga), rooms were in pristine condition with great view (we stayed in the Baron's room), and the general vibe of this place was amazing, strongly recommend!

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Following Hadrian

Historic Site of the week

Walls of Constantinople

The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.

Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.

Jaunpils Castle

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Historic Site of the week

Walls of Constantinople