Dundaga Castle

About this place

Dundaga Castle is a medieval castle in the town of Dundaga in the Kurzeme region of western Latvia, an important archaeological and architectural monument. It wraps around a paved courtyard, with flaking white walls revealing brick below and a square tower, giving a true sense of age, and it is the source of many legends and ghost stories. The Archbishopric of Riga gained the lands in 1237, the castle first appears in writing in 1318, and it was probably built in the late 13th century. It was sold in 1434 and again in 1559. In the mid-17th century Anna Sybil turned it into a noble residence, and it stayed in the Osten-Sacken family until 1920. It burned in 1872 and 1905, was renovated from 1909 and has been a public building since 1926. You enter by a gate below the tower into a broad stone-paved court, ringed by white and red walls, projecting windows and traces of old paint. Stone coats of arms and carved panels of figures adorn the walls, and a timber balcony looks over the court and its red roofs. A green park and trees lie close by. It is 122 km in a straight line from Riga and 14 km from Slītere Lighthouse, so people heading for Cape Kolka often pair them. Local offices, a school and cultural bodies use the building, so the inside may not all be open, so ask about a tour. Stay out of the offices, watch the uneven stones and respect the building's daily work.