Stameriena Palace, Stāmeriena, Latvia

Stāmeriena Palace is a palace built between 1835 to 1843 by Johann Gottlieb von Wolff and subsequently his descendents. In 1905, during the Russian Revolution, the manor was burned down, but was later renewed by Baron Boris von Wolff in 1908. Although it was rebuilt in different style it is considered one of the brightest architectural achievements of his time in French Neo-Renaissance style in Latvia. Stāmeriena palace was one of the few manors which were not nationalised after Latvian agrarian reforms in 1920s. So baron von Wolff family continued to live there through the 1930s until 1939. The palace was presented as a gift to Andrei Pilar von Pilchau. Sicilian writer Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa lived in the Stāmeriena palace a few years. He married the palace's owner Alexandra von Wolff in 1932.

After the second world war a Technical school of agriculture was located in the palace. Later it was used as the administration building of the local state owned farm (sovkhoz). After the 1992 palace stood empty for six years. In 1998 it became a private property and since then the palace and landscape park around it are being restored and are open for visitors.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Ilze Miķelsone (3 years ago)
Nice

Ondřej Čermák (3 years ago)
Currently closed, but very nice even from the outside plus the park or is nice

Ainars Dominiks (3 years ago)
Very nice and beautiful castle. Unfortunately another one who is going to be lost for Latvia. It hasn't been renovated since my last visit approx 15 years ago. Very sad

Marija Shirokova (4 years ago)
Very interesting sightseeing place. They recently opened additional rooms for excursions. This palace will be renovated in the nearest future.

Margus Pala (4 years ago)
I visited the castle while seeing friend in Stameriena. Castle is very nice even though it needs some renovation. Until then it has very authentic feel. However I liked the most the girl who was working there and who was very warm and welcome. She was showing me around the castle and talked about the interesting history. I was very happy that I decided to go to the castle and I will definitely go again when I am nearby.

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Château de Falaise is best known as a castle, where William the Conqueror, the son of Duke Robert of Normandy, was born in about 1028. William went on to conquer England and become king and possession of the castle descended through his heirs until the 13th century when it was captured by King Philip II of France. Possession of the castle changed hands several times during the Hundred Years' War. The castle was deserted during the 17th century. Since 1840 it has been protected as a monument historique.

The castle (12th–13th century), which overlooks the town from a high crag, was formerly the seat of the Dukes of Normandy. The construction was started on the site of an earlier castle in 1123 by Henry I of England, with the 'large keep' (grand donjon). Later was added the 'small keep' (petit donjon). The tower built in the first quarter of the 12th century contained a hall, chapel, and a room for the lord, but no small rooms for a complicated household arrangement; in this way, it was similar to towers at Corfe, Norwich, and Portchester, all in England. In 1202 Arthur I, Duke of Brittany was King John of England's nephew, was imprisoned in Falaise castle's keep. According to contemporaneous chronicler Ralph of Coggeshall, John ordered two of his servants to mutilate the duke. Hugh de Burgh was in charge of guarding Arthur and refused to let him be mutilated, but to demoralise Arthur's supporters was to announce his death. The circumstances of Arthur's death are unclear, though he probably died in 1203.

In about 1207, after having conquered Normandy, Philip II Augustus ordered the building of a new cylindrical keep. It was later named the Talbot Tower (Tour Talbot) after the English commander responsible for its repair during the Hundred Years' War. It is a tall round tower, similar design to the towers built at Gisors and the medieval Louvre.Possession of the castle changed hands several times during the Hundred Years' War. The castle was deserted during the 17th century. Since 1840, Château de Falaise has been recognised as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture.

A programme of restoration was carried out between 1870 and 1874. The castle suffered due to bombardment during the Second World War in the battle for the Falaise pocket in 1944, but the three keeps were unscathed.

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