Avastame Eestimaa losse - Discovering Estonia’s Castles
Üks ikoonilisemaid stseene Eestist on Tallinna keskaegne vanalinn koos kitsaste munakivitänavate, kõrguva raekoja ja punaste paneelidega kaetud katustega. Paljud inimesed, nii külastajad kui ka kohalikud, ei tea, et keskaegne võlu ulatub kesklinnast kaugemale ja tegelikult peidab end siin mitu lossi. Vaatame mõned kõige paeluvamad lossid, mida Eestil on pakkuda.
Seda lossi tuntakse ka Maarjamäe või Orlovi lossi nime all, mis annab aimu hoone muinasjutulisest ajaloost. See ehitati 1874. aastal kindrali poolt, kelle nimi ei olnud keegi muu kui Orlov. Paljud lossi detailid jäljendavad keskaegseid elemente, eriti need, mis pärinevad hilisgooti stiilist. Hiljem kasutasid lossi lennundusakadeemia ja Nõukogude armee. Lõpuks anti see ajaloomuuseumile ja tänaseni on seal Eesti lähiajalugu käsitlev näitus. Isegi kui soovite ajaloonäituse vahele jätta, on loss osa suuremast kompleksist kaunis pargis, kus saab nautida vabaõhu skulptuurinäitust. Pealegi asub see otse mere ääres, nii et võite oma külastuse ühendada jalutuskäiguga mööda rannapromenaadi.
See võib olla ehk üks Tallinna kõige peidetumaid salajasi losse, sest see asub kõrvalisel teel ja vaikses elamurajoonis. Loss on nime saanud baltisaksa Nikolai von Glehni järgi, kes ehitas selle kompleksi 19. sajandi lõpus. Algselt kandis see Mustamäe mõisa nime ja arhitektiks oli Glehn ise. Glehn oli ka Nõmme linna rajaja, mis praegu on Tallinna linnaosa. Seda ümbritseb suur park ja palju põnevaid lisasid, nagu palmimaja, vahitorn ning krokodilli ja eepose kangelase Kalevipoja skulptuurid. 1960ndatel aastatel muudeti vahitorn observatooriumiks ja nüüd asub seal Tallinna tähetorn, mis korraldab üritusi üldsusele.
Alatskivi loss asub Peipsi järve lähedal Ida-Eestis. See valmis 17. sajandil ja ehitati ümber 19. sajandi lõpus neogooti stiilis. See võib tunduda tuttavlik, sest selle eeskujuks oli kuninglik residents Balmoral Šotimaal. Läbi sajandite oli see Rootsi ja Saksa aristokraatia valduses. Nõukogude ajal natsionaliseeriti see ja selles asusid kool ja mitmesugused avalikud teenused. Praegu asub seal muuseum, mis on pühendatud helilooja Eduard Tubinile, kes sündis Alatskivi lähedal asuvas külas.
Kui külastate Alatskivi, tuleb kindlasti külastada ka Eesti eepose kangelase Kalevipoja voodit, mis on üks viiest omataolisest Eestis.
See loss on alles hiljuti pärast ulatuslikke restaureerimistöid taas avalikkusele avatud. See on üks vanimaid losse selles nimekirjas, mis pärineb 13. sajandist. See oli ka Liivimaa kuninga Magnuse residents ja 18. sajandil muudeti see rokokoo stiilis lossiks. 1940. aastate alguses sai kompleks tugevasti kahjustada ja ainult kirik taastati 1950. aastatel. Tänu restaureerimistöödele saavad külastajad nüüd tornist vaadet linnale nautida, külastada ajaloonäitust ja einestada nagu kuningas lossihoovis asuvas restoranis.
Ungru lossi varemed
Source: IvoFalk, CC BY-SA 3.0 EE via Wikimedia Commons
Kuigi selle lossi kuldsed päevad on möödas ja see on alles vaid varemete kujul, on selle lossi ajalugu endiselt tunda tänu allesjäänud majesteetlikele fassaadidele ja tornile. See loss on peaaegu täpne koopia Saksamaal asuvast Merseburgi lossist ja selle ehitamise aluseks on traagiline armastuslugu, mis kulgeb järgmiselt:
Krahv Ungern-Sternberg armus Merseburgi lossi isanda tütresse, kes oli lubanud veeta kogu oma elu Merseburgi lossis. Krahv lubas ehitada hoone täpse koopia ja tüdruk nõustus sinna kolima. Ehitus aga jäi seisma, kui krahvi armuke ootamatult haigestus ja suri. Allikas: Visit Estonia
Need varemed on ligipääsetavad aastaringselt ja on müstilist paika otsivate fotograafide lemmikpaik.
Nende losside kõige suurejoonelisem osa on see, et iga kogemus on täiuslik segu maiuspala neile, kes on huvitatud arhitektuurist, kunstiajaloost, ajaloolistest faktidest ja loodusimestest. Andke meile foorumites teada, kui olete mõnda neist lossidest külastanud ja mis teile nende juures kõige rohkem meeldis!
One of the most iconic scenes from Estonia is the medieval old town of Tallinn with the narrow cobblestone streets, towering town hall and red paneled roofs. Many folks, visitors and locals alike, do not know that the medieval charm goes beyond the city center, and there are actually multiple castles hiding in plain sight. Let’s take a look at some of the most captivating castles that Estonia has to offer.
Maarjamäe Palace
This palace is also known as the Maarjamäe or Orlov castle, which gives an idea of the storied history of the building. It was constructed in 1874 by a general by the name of none other than Orlov. Many of the details of the castles mimic medieval elements, especially those that come from the late Gothic style. The castle was later used by the aviation academy and the Soviet army. It was finally given to the history museum and until today it houses an exhibition about the recent history of Estonia. Even if you want to skip the history exhibition, the castle is a part of a larger complex in a beautiful park, where you can enjoy the open air sculpture display. Moreover, it is right by the seaside, so you can combine your visit with a stroll along the promenade.
Glehn’s Castle
This may perhaps be one of the most hidden secret castle’s of Tallinn since it is off the beaten track and in a quiet residential area. The castle is named after the Baltic German Nikolai von Glehn, who built the complex in the late 19th century. It was originally called Mustamäe manor and Glehn himself was the architect. Glehn was also the founder of the town of Nõmme, which is now a district in Tallinn. It is surrounded by a large park and many fascinating additions like the palm house, watchtower and sculptures of a crocodile and the epic hero Kalevipoeg. In the 1960s the watchtower was converted into an observatory and now houses the Tallinn Observatory, which organizes events for the general public.
Alatskivi Castle
The Alatskivi castle is located close to the Peipsi lake in Eastern Estonia. It was completed in the 17th century and rebuilt in the late 19th century in the neo-gothic style. It may look familiar because it was modeled on the royal residence of Balmoral in Scotland. Throughout the centuries, it was in the possession of Swedish and German aristocracy. During the Soviet era it was nationalized and housed a school and various public services. Currently it houses a museum dedicated to the composer Eduard Tubin, who was born in a village close to Alatskivi.
If you visit Alatskivi, another must-visit site is the bed of Estonian epic hero Kalevipoeg, which is one of the five of its kind in Estonia.
Põltsamaa Castle
This castle has only recently been re-opened to the public after extensive restoration works were completed. This is one of the oldest castles on this list dating back to the 13th century. It was also the residence of the Livonian king Magnus and during the 18th century it was turned into a rococo style palace. In the beginning of the 1940s, the complex was severely damaged and only the church was restored in the 1950s. Thanks to the restorations, visitors can now enjoy a view of the city from the tower, visit the history exhibition and dine like a king at the restaurant in the castle’s courtyard.
Ungru Castle’s ruins
Even though the golden days of this castle are over and it only remains in the form of ruins, the history of this castle can still be felt thanks to the remaining majestic facades and tower. This castle is an almost exact copy of the Merseburg Castle located in Germany and the construction is rooted in a tragic love story that goes as follows:
Count Ungern-Sternberg fell in love with the daughter of the lord of Merseburg Castle, who had promised to spend her entire life in Merseburg Castle. The count promised to build an exact replica of the building and she agreed to move there. However, the construction stopped when the count's lover suddenly fell ill and died. Source: Visit Estonia
These ruins are accessible all year round and are a favorite backdrop for photographers looking for a mystical place.
The most spectacular part of these castles is that each experience is a perfect mixture of treats for those who are interested in architecture, art history, historical facts and natural wonders. Let us know in the forums if you have visited any of the castles and what you enjoyed most about them!
Ingrid, OLS Community Manager – Estonian