Build around 1557 by the Counts of Zimmern, Messkirch Castle is reputed to be the earliest quadrangular Renaissance structure north of the Alps. The castle's main showpiece is the large ceremonial hall with its magnificent coffered ceiling, which today provides a festive setting not just for concerts and exhibitions, but also for weddings and conferences. In summer, the castle's inner courtyard and adjoining gardens also serve as an impressive backdrop for concerts, theatre performances, classic car meetings and markets. Fringe theatre and cabaret in the informal ambience of the castle cellars are a unique experience.
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.