There has been a manor house on the site of Keila-Joa manor (Schloss Fall) since the 17th century. The present manor house was built in 1831-1833 and designed by St. Petersburg architect Andrei Stackenschneider. The manor represents one of the earliest examples of neo-Gothic architecture in Estonia. It was built for the family of count Alexander von Benckendorff (whose graves can be found in the park adjacent to the manor) and the building saw many prominent guests during the Imperial years, among others the Russian royal family, famous soprano Henriette Sontag and composer Alexei Lvov.
From 1927 to 1940 it was used by the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the Soviet occupation it was used by the Red Army. The centre of the manor now belongs to the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but is not being used currently and is awaiting restoration. In 2010 the manor was sold into private hands.
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.