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Duke's Court existed already in time of Christianisation of Western Pomerania (1124-1128). However it became center of power on the turn of 12th and 13th century. Barnim I began extension of the wooden court, he also gave the city Magdeburg's civic rights (1243). In 1346, duke Barnim III began building of 'wooden house' and St. Otto's...
Malbork castle (German: Marienburg) is a masterpiece of late medieval defensive and residential architecture. The castle dates from mid-1270s, and in 1309 it became the seat of Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights. The castle consists of a triple defensive complex: the High Castle (monastery), the Middle Castle (the administrative centre...
The castle of Eutin was founded in the 12th century and became residence of the sovereign bishops of the city of Lübeck. After a fire in 1689 the castle was rebuilt by baroquisations, this culminated by the foundation of a magnificent baroque park. In 1773/74 the Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf became Duke of Oldenburg an Delmenhorst...
With the surrounding parks and gardens, the natural landscape and its artistic and architectural riches the palace on an island presents itself as the largest and most important site in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The visitor can`t resist its multiplicity of towers and turrets and its many faceted facades. It`s architecturally one of the most...
In 1772-1776 Duke Friedrich of Mecklenburg-Schwerin built the new palace as the centre piece of the late baroque townscape of Ludwigslust and as his main residence. In the year 1837 the palace became a hunting lodge and summer residence. The original furnishings include fire places, mirrors and supraportas, parquet floors and chandeliers,...
The Güstrow Palace ist the most important renaissance palace in North Germany. Ulrich, Duke of Mecklenburg, caused a lordly residence to be built from 1558 onwards to replace a medieval castle. The architect succeeded in creating a synthesis of Italian, French and German architectural styles, which was unique for the period and the...
Throughout most of the medieval times, Vordingborg was both the most important castle and the preferred residence of the Danish Kings. It was from here the fleet of King Valdemar I (the Great) sailed out to christen and conquer the Slavonian tribes in North Germany in the second part of the 12th Century. It was also from Vordingborg his...
King Christian IV built Rosenborg in 1606-34 to serve as his personal summer castle. He even designed much of this Dutch Renaissance style castle himself. The next three generations of kings, until 1710, lived in Rosenborg but, from then on, Rosenborg was used only for occasional visits and certain official functions of the royal family....
Koldinghus was built in the middle of the 13th century. The oldest existing building is the north wing, dating from the 1440'es. The west wing was added about 1500. In the 1540'es and 1550'es Christian III had the medieval fortifications dismantled, and he built new wings to the south and east. About 1600, King Christian IV. added a huge,...
Kronborg Castle, originally built in 1574-85, is one of northern Europe's most important Renaissance castles. Known all over the world from Shakespeare's Hamlet, it is also the most famous castle in Denmark and is visited each year by about 200,000 people. Frederik II's Kronborg is both an elegant Renaissance castle and a monumental...
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The history of Sĝnderborg Castle dates back to 1170 when it formed a part of Denmark's defence against the threatening attacks of the Wends. During the Middle Ages it was extended to a citadel while its ownership alternated between the Danish kings and the dukes of Schleswig. Much later, in 1532-1549 the castle's quarters were used to...
Nyborg Castle is a royal castle established late in the 12th Century. Together with Tċrnborg and Sprogĝ Nyborg Castle constituted the fortification of Storebĉlt. Around 1200 a ring wall was erected. Prior to 1250 a Palatium in two storeys was erected against the western wall for ceremonial duties and assemblies Danehof. About 1400 another...
Skokloster is one of world?s best conserved 17th century castles. It took a quarter of century to build it but it was considered almost as a dwelling. The most important function of the castle was to show the power and success of the field Marshall Carl Gustav Wrangel at the time when Sweden was a superpower in Europe. The field Marshall...
The town of Lappeenranta (Villmanstrand) was founded by Per Brahe at the old Lappee marketplace in 1649. The order for founding the town was given by Queen Kristina. Lappeenranta became a border town after founding of St. Petersburg city and after peace of Uusikaupunki in 1721. The Swedes started to fortify Lappeenranta. The next war...
Svartholma sea fortress was founded by the Swedes on a small island in the mouth of the Loviisa bay in 1748, as part of a fortification system aimed to secure the eastern border against Russia. Colonel Augustin Ehrensvärd was the planner of Svartholma, as well as Suomenlinna sea fortress outside Helsinki and a land fortress around...
Kastelholm was mentioned in the historical sources for the first time in 1388 by the name "Kastelholms hus" (the house of the castle island). The castle was originally founded on a small island and at that time it consisted of three parts which were residential part, the small bailey and the guard tower. These were all surrounded by a...
The Swedes built the Turku castle in 1280s in order to establish their rule in the Finnish region. First it was a fortified camp, but after the siege of Albrecht of Mecklenburg in the end of 1360s it went through remarkable enlargements and became more palacelike. The castles first period of prosperity was in the beginning of 15th ...
Suomenlinna is one of the largest sea fortresses in the world, located off Helsinki shore. The construction works begun in 1748 for a bastion fortress on six islands. The fortress had a garrison town with barracks and residential buildings and a naval base with a dry dock. In 1808 Suomenlinna surrendered to Russia and was turned into a...
Olavinlinna was founded in 1475 by Erik Axelsson Tott. The castle served to repel attacks from the east and to guarantee control of the Savo region for the Swedish Crown. The medieval castle consisted of a main castle with three towers and a bailey with an encircling wall reinforced by two more towers. The castle went through numerous...
Häme castle is one of Finland's medieval royal castles. It is believed to have been built at the end of 13th century following the Swedish crusade to Häme (Tavastia) lead by Earl Birger. During the Middle Ages the original fortified camp was built into a residential castle for its commandant. In the 18th century a third storey was built...
The Peter and Paul fortress was Founded in the delta of the Neva River on May 27. 1703. This date became the birthday of the city of St. Petersburg. The Peter and Paul fortress fortress is the heart of the city and a unique monument of fortification, history and architecture. Constructed by talented military engineers and architects with...
The Oreshek (Slusselburg) Fortress was founded by the Novgorodian Principality in the mouth of the Neva River in 1323. The reason was to monitor the Baltic - Ladoga trade routes. Due to strategic position the fortress was many times subjected to attacks and destroyed and rebuilt again. During World War II its small garrison prevented...
The Kaliningrad State Art and History Museum is situated in the reconstructed Municipal Hall. It was built in 1912 by the German architect R. Zeel and destroyed in World War II. In 1991 Municipal Hall was opened to public. The old Königsberg Castle in Kaliningrad was built by the Teutonic Knights in the 13th century. At the moment it is...
Vyborg Castle was founded by Swedes in 1293 after the third crusade made to Finland under the command of Torgils Knutsson. More than four centuries castle belonged to the Swedish crown and in the 15th century it was considered as one of Sweden's most beautiful buildings. From the 18th century on Vyborg Castle has been a part of both...
The beginning of Rakvere Castle´s history is lost in the darkness of time. The stone castle itself originates from the Middle Ages when it was built during the time in which the kings of Denmark and the masters of the Teutonic Order were ruling the territoy.
First written records about the stronghold called Tarvanpea come from the year...
The formation of the Narva castle began in XIII-XIV cc. and was completed by the middle of the XVI c. It was fortification of a castle type. In XIV-XVI cc. the construction of the castle was continued, converting it into a convent house in accordance with traditions of the Livonian Order. It consisted of the main building, (rectangular in...
Haapsalu Castle is an important landmark of Estonian fortress architecture. The construction of the castle with total territory of 2.9 ha was started in the second half of the 13th century. Over 300 years Haapsalu Castle served as an official residency of Saare-Lääne diocese. In the 17th century the castle lost its political and military...
The Castle of the Livonian order, which houses Ventspils Museum since 2001, is the oldest preserved building in Ventspils, built in the second half of the 13th century. It is a convent-house type building with an inner yard, and can be regarded as the oldest medieval fortress in Latvia to have retained its original form virtually...
Turaida Castle is one of the ancient Medieval Castles of Latvia. It was started to build in the beginning of the 13th century as a Residence of Archbishops of Riga. It was built on the site where initially was situated wooden castle of Livs. In the further centuries the Castle has been conquered by Polish, Swedish and Russian warriors....
Riga Castle is an important historical and cultural monument of the 14th-20th century. The construction of the Riga Castle was begun in 1330. In 1484 during the military conflicts between the city of Riga and the Livonian Order the castle was completely ruined. The new castle was completed in 1515. Today in one part of the castle there is...
The Rundâle Palace is one of the most outstanding monuments of Baroque and Rococo art in Latvia, built between 1736 and 1740 as a summer residence of the Duke of Courland Ernst Johann Biron. The major part of the interior was made in the period 1765-1768. The sculptor J.M.Graff from Berlin and his team made stucco decorations on the...
Cesis Castle was one of the first stone fortresses built in present-day Latvia (construction work begun 1207) by the German crusaders. The complex of building remains is a relic of monumental architecture preserved over the centuries, reflecting the building traditions and art styles of the Livonian era. The castle was badly damaged in...
Bauska castle (Latvia) is a monument of architecture and archeology of national significance. It consists of a fortress built by Livonian Order Knights in the middle of 15th century, a forecastle converted into The Dukes of Courland's residence at the end of 16th century and ramparts from the 17th-18th century. The building is located at...
Trakai Island Castle was built throughout the period starting at the end of the 14th century up to the 15th century. This Gothic castle with Romanesque features was built by Grand Duke Vytautas who ruled 1392-1430. During the wars with Russia in the 17th century the 300 year old castle was ruined. The rebuilt castle, standing on one of...
Birzai fortress was built by Duke Kristupas Radvila Perkunas in 1589 to protect Northern border of Lithuanian - Polish Kingdom. It was destroyed in 1625. Duke Kristupas Radvila II began to build the second fortress in Birzai. It was a bastion fortress of Nytherland style and was destroyed by Swedes in 1704. And at last the residential...
