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Founded: 1760-1770Category: Palaces, manors and town halls in Estonia
Historical period: Part of the Russian Empire (Estonia)
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The earliest records of Kõljala manor date to 1509. Traces of the oldest construction have been preserved in the cellars, and these date to the 17th century.
In those days the manor belonged to Otto von Poll, a leader of the Saaremaa German nobility. His lifestyle was somewhat different from the rest, and this was reflected in the furnishings of the manor house. Although the house itself was of one-story limestone construction, it is known that the rooms were lit by ten brass chandeliers, the curtains at the windows had golden fringes, and there were twelve large Flemish carpets hung on the walls.
In 1677 the new owner, J. von Osten-Sacken, had two large brass cannons placed in front of the manor. These he had received as a gift from the Swedish king, Karl XI. The cannon were still there at the beginning of the 20th century.
The next extensive reconstruction and building period took place during 1760-1770. Maps and charts dating from 1784 picture the manor very similar to what it looks like today, a single-story building with a hipped roof and three chimneys. In the middle of the 19th century, the new owner F. W. von Buxhoevden added further "improvements" to the building in the form of then-popular classisistic details, such as the portico with four Ionian pillars.
The classisistic style continued in the landscape design that surrounded the manor house. Full-grown, mature trees formed the backdrop for the house, and on the south side among the trees there were placed three arched gate buildings. Unfortunately, only one has survived.
Today Kõljala manor stands in private ownership.
Reference: Saaremaa.ee
The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.
In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians. The county became a privileged refuge for persecuted Cathars.
The castle, often besieged (notably by Simon de Montfort in 1211 and 1212), resisted assault and was only taken once, in 1486, thanks to treachery during the war between two branches of the Foix family.
From the 14th century, the Counts of Foix spent less and less time in the uncomfortable castle, preferring the Governors' Palace. From 1479, the Counts of Foix became Kings of Navarre and the last of them, made Henri IV of France, annexed his Pyrrenean lands to France.
As seat of the Governor of the Foix region from the 15th century, the castle continued to ensure the defence of the area, notably during the Wars of Religion. Alone of all the castles in the region, it was exempted from the destruction orders of Richelieu (1632-1638).
Until the Revolution, the fortress remained a garrison. Its life was brightened with grand receptions for its governors, including the Count of Tréville, captain of musketeers under Louis XIII and Marshal Philippe Henri de Ségur, one of Louis XVI's ministers. The Round Tower, built in the 15th century, is the most recent, the two square towers having been built before the 11th century. They served as a political and civil prison for four centuries until 1862.
Since 1930, the castle has housed the collections of the Ariège départemental museum. Sections on prehistory, Gallo-Roman and mediaeval archaeology tell the history of Ariège from ancient times. Currently, the museum is rearranging exhibits to concentrate on the history of the castle site so as to recreate the life of Foix at the time of the Counts.