Rakvere Castle in Estonia

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

Estonian multifaceted culture has been formed over many centuries under the influence of various peoples. The location at the crossroads of cultures eventually manifested itself in the fusion of Western European, Northern Russian, and Scandinavian traditions. The diversity of Estonian culture is expressed in a significant variety of historical and cultural sites, monuments and places of interest. Castles scattered throughout the country deserve special attention. One of them is Rakvere Castle, which is visited annually by European tourists.

During the Middle Ages

The foundation of the castle was laid by the Danes in the first quarter of the 13th century on the Villimägi hill. They also gave the building a name - Wesenberg. The first mentions of it in historical sources date back to 1226, 1252 and 1268: there are mentions of the castle as the village of Tarvanpea, a Danish settlement and Rukovor.

In 1346, Rakvere was sold by the Danish king to the Livonian Order, under whose rule the castle had been for more than two hundred years. During this time, its outlines and contours are stronglychanged: the wall in the north was supplemented and turned into a convent house, to which outbuildings and two towers were attached. The history of the Order of Rakvere Castle ended along with the history of the Livonian Order - in 1559, having lost the war with Russia, he was left without a livelihood.

History of the castle from the 17th century

During the Livonian War, Rakvere was occupied by the Russian army. The new owners built a defensive line, which increased the territory of the castle to 4.5 hectares. Later, in 1581, it was recaptured by the Swedish army. At the beginning of the 17th century, Sweden, which then ruled Northern Estonia, began a war with Poland. During the conflict between the countries, the castle was badly damaged - part of the wall was destroyed and the interior decoration was damaged. He suffered greatly during the years of the Northern War.

For the next two hundred years, Rakvere Castle in Estonia, like other parts of the country, belonged to the Russian Empire. At the beginning of the 20th century, the first restoration work and archaeological excavations were carried out on its territory. Already in 1959-1960, the settlement was seriously investigated by scientists, and in 1975 it was mothballed for the purpose of restoration. For 13 years, the historical appearance of the building has been restored.

What is the castle now?

Located in the city of Rakvere, after which the building got its name, the castle is a hillfort that has carried a long and interesting history of its existence through the centuries. Now life is in full swing in it, saturated with the spirit of the Middle Ages and adventurism. Historical reconstructions, theatrical performances of the past centuries, exhibitions of weapons and household items, master classes in pottery, weapons, and medicine - this is what tourists usually come for.

Rakvere Castle is, in fact, a theme park constructed in the ruins of a defensive complex erected by the Crusaders in the 14th century. This is an ideal place for family pastime, as everyone can find something to their liking: from wine tasting malvasia and candle making to archery, jousting, horse riding. In an entertaining way, there is an acquaintance with the life of a medieval person, with the culture of that time.

Interesting and educational pastime

All life in the settlement is a real exposition of medieval life and culture. Knights in heavy armor walk around the territory of Rakvere Castle, monks in cassocks, archers practice shooting, and blacksmiths forge weapons and armor in real forges, blowing furs.

In addition to the recreated atmosphere of the Middle Ages, the castle is also interesting with regular exhibitions, events and programs, including workshops. There are several programs for tourists, the duration of each is 1.5 hours. The "Medieval Adventure" is designed for a group of adults and consists of a visit to the rondique (gun tower), a chapel, a chamber of sciences, and an exhibition of swords. Along the way, the guide tells people about the Livonian Order and the history of the castle. As part of the tour, those who wish can shoot from a bow andvisit the dungeon.

Pleasure and torture

"Medieval Delight" is an excursion program that highlights the culture of the Middle Ages from an unusual and unusual angle. In this program, tourists can see a 16th-century brothel and the local red-light district, which, however, does not provide services. Then the path lies to the wine cellar, where you can learn about the drinking culture of bygone centuries and taste excellent quality wine. Each visitor to the castle will also be able to guess what their heart desires at the "wishing well".

One of the places that makes a special impression on all tourists is the dungeon. Visitors describe it as a real "hell". The torture chamber in Rakvere Castle is located there. The guide will talk about how various instruments of torture and execution were used, including the famous torture wheel. At the end, tourists will be taken to the "underworld" - where the souls of sinners end up after death. The masterfully recreated atmosphere scares some people so much that they end their tour ahead of schedule.

Important information for the tour

To plan a trip, you first need to know exactly where to go. The mound is located in the north of Estonia. Address of Rakvere Castle: Rakvere city, western part of Lääne-Viru County. The castle is open to tourists for half a month in winter, from Wednesday to Sunday. In summer, the castle is open throughout the week. Visiting some exhibitions and participating in programsmust be agreed in advance with the management staff. It is also worth considering the desired time of visit, since the opening hours of Rakvere Castle are from 10 am to 6 pm.

All activity in the castle is available at a very affordable price: an entrance ticket to the castle fort costs from 7 (for students) to 18 euros (for a family), which at the current rate is 539 and 1386 rubles. respectively. A regular ticket costs 9 euros (693 rubles). Archery, coinage, writing with a quill and other additional types of entertainment are paid for at a price of 1.5 euros (115 rubles). Guide services are paid separately at a price of 20 euros (1540 rubles) per hour. Food for tourists is provided by the Shenkenbergi tavern, where you can order various dishes of medieval cuisine, and at quite reasonable prices.

General conclusion

Rakvere Castle is one of the main attractions of Estonia, which has seen a lot in its lifetime. For almost 800 years of its existence, in whose hands it was not only - Danes, Livonians, Swedes, Russians. As a result, now the castle belongs to the sovereign state of Estonia.

In its walls, a completely different life is modeled - medieval. This is a completely different way of life and culture, which can be viewed from different angles in the castle. You can feel like a knight, riding around the territory on a horse or trying on armor and fighting with swords, shooting from a bow. Many crafts of the Middle Ages can be learned - minting coins, creating candles from wax, writing with a pen and much more. Prices for entrance tickets to the castle, how could yousure, pretty democratic.