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Founded: 1800-1804Category: Palaces, manors and town halls in Latvia
Historical period: Part of the Russian Empire (Latvia)
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The first manor house was made out of wood and the new palace was built in 1800-1804 in the late classical style, designed according to the project by the German architect J. G. Berlitz. There is stone bridge, leading to the palace. On the other side of the river there are remnants of the manor buildings; house of the servants, stables, house of the steward and barns. The palace was burned down by local peasants during the Revolution of 1905. However, German baron von Manteuffel renovated it by the project of Paul Schultze-Naumburg in 1907. The renovation of the Kazdanga palace became an important event for the development of the Neo-Classicism style. It was designed by the well known German architect and Neo-Classicism Paul Schultze-Naumburg. In contrast to scenic, borrowed forms, the architect declared a return to the Homeland tradition and accuracy.
The reconstruction of the Kazdanga palace demonstrated a new approach by the architect to the original image of the building. It is noteworthy that the palace, designed in about 1800, was one of the most splendid monuments of Classicism architecture in Courland. Its restoration served as a starting point for re-evaluating both patterns of pure Classicism and local building traditions. Even elements of scientific restoration could be observed in the course of reconstruction. The principle of historical verity was important in designing the interiors and replicas of the furniture that had been destroyed.
During the First World War the palace was again devastated. It was rebuilt between 1925-1927. In 1930 the Kazdanga Agricultural Trade School was housed in the palace. The school is still situated there. Near to the palace is a house of chevaliers. It has well preserved interior, like baroque style stairs and ornamented parquet floor.
References:The Pilgrimage Church of Wies (Wieskirche) is an oval rococo church, designed in the late 1740s by Dominikus Zimmermann. It is located in the foothills of the Alps in the municipality of Steingaden.
The sanctuary of Wies is a pilgrimage church extraordinarily well-preserved in the beautiful setting of an Alpine valley, and is a perfect masterpiece of Rococo art and creative genius, as well as an exceptional testimony to a civilization that has disappeared.
The hamlet of Wies, in 1738, is said to have been the setting of a miracle in which tears were seen on a simple wooden figure of Christ mounted on a column that was no longer venerated by the Premonstratensian monks of the Abbey. A wooden chapel constructed in the fields housed the miraculous statue for some time. However, pilgrims from Germany, Austria, Bohemia, and even Italy became so numerous that the Abbot of the Premonstratensians of Steingaden decided to construct a splendid sanctuary.