The multifaceted culture of Estonia has been formed over many centuries under the influence of various peoples. The location at the junction of cultures was manifested as a result in the merger of Western European, North Russian, Scandinavian traditions. The diversity of Estonian culture is expressed in a significant variety of historical and cultural sites, monuments and attractions. The castles scattered throughout the country deserve special attention. One of them is Rakvere Castle, visited annually by European tourists.
In the Middle Ages
The foundation of the castle was laid by the Danes in the first quarter of the 13th century on the hill of Villimägi. They also gave the name of the building - Wesenberg. The first mention of it in historical sources dates from 1226, 1252 and 1268: there are references to the castle as the village of Tarvanpea, the Danish settlement and Rukovor.
In 1346, Rakvere was sold by the Danish king to the Livonian Order, under whose authority the castle was more than two hundred years old. During this time, its outlines and contours greatly changed: the wall in the north was supplemented and turned into a convention house, to which outbuildings and two towers were attached. The order history of Rakvere Castle ended with the history of the Livonian Order - in 1559, having lost in the war with Russia, he was left without a livelihood.
The history of the castle from the XVII century
During the Livonian War, Rakvere was occupied by the Russian army. The new owners built a defensive line, which increased the territory of the castle to 4.5 hectares. Later, in 1581, he was recaptured by the Swedish army. At the beginning of the 17th century, Sweden, under which Northern Estonia was then in power, began a war with Poland. During the conflict between the countries, the castle was badly damaged - part of the wall was destroyed and the interior was damaged. He got a lot during the years of the Northern War.
For the next two hundred years, Rakvere Castle in Estonia, like other territories of the country, belonged to the Russian Empire. At the beginning of the 20th century, the first restoration work and archaeological excavations were carried out on its territory. Already in 1959-1960 the settlement was seriously investigated by scientists, and in 1975 it was mothballed for the purpose of restoration. For 13 years, the historical appearance of the building has been restored.
What is a castle now?
Located in the city of Rakvere, in honor of which the building got its name, the castle is a fortification that has carried through the centuries a long and interesting history of its existence. Now it is full of life, saturated with the spirit of the Middle Ages and adventurism. Historical reconstructions, theatrical productions of past centuries, exhibitions of weapons and household items, master classes in pottery, weapons, and medicine are what tourists usually come for.
Rakvere Castle is, in fact, a theme park designed in the ruins of a defense complex erected by the crusaders in the 14th century. This is an ideal place for a family pastime, as everyone can find something to their liking: from tasting malvasia wine and making candles to archery, participating in a knightly tournament, riding. In an entertaining way, one gets acquainted with the life of a medieval man, with the culture of that time.
Interesting and informative pastime
All life that takes place in the ancient settlement is a real exposition of medieval life and culture. Knights in heavy armor, monks in robes walk around the territory of Rakvere Castle, archers practice shooting, and blacksmiths forge weapons and armor in real forges, fanning furs.
In addition to the recreated atmosphere of the Middle Ages, the castle is interesting and regularly provided by exhibitions, events and programs, including workshops. There are several programs for tourists, each lasting 1.5 hours. The Medieval Adventure is designed for a group of adults and consists of visiting a rondik (gun turret), a chapel, a chamber of sciences, and an exhibition of swords. On the way, the guide tells people about the Livonian Order and the history of the castle. Those who wish can take archery and visit the dungeon as part of the tour.
Pleasures and torture
“Medieval Pleasure” is an excursion program that illuminates the culture of the Middle Ages from an unusual and unusual perspective. In this program, tourists can see the brothel of the XVI century and the local red light district, which, however, does not provide services. Further, the path lies in the wine cellar, where you can learn about the drinking culture of the past centuries and taste wine of excellent quality. Each visitor to the castle will also be able to guess what he wants at the "well of desires."
One of the places that impress all tourists is a dungeon. It is described by visitors as the real “underworld”. The torture chamber in Rakvere Castle is located there. The guide will talk about how various instruments for torture and executions were used, including the famous torture wheel. At the end, tourists will be taken to the “underworld” - where the souls of sinners find themselves after death. The masterfully recreated atmosphere scares some people so much that they finish the tour for themselves ahead of schedule.
Important information for the tour
To plan a trip, you first need to know where exactly to go. The hillfort is located in northern Estonia. Rakvere Castle Address: Rakvere City, western part of Lääne-Virumaa County. The castle is open to tourists for half a month in winter, from Wednesday to Sunday. In summer, the castle is open throughout the week. Visiting some exhibitions and participating in programs must be agreed in advance with the managing staff. It is also worth calculating the desired visit time, since the opening hours of Rakvere Castle are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
All activity in the castle is available at a very reasonable price: an entrance ticket to the settlement costs from 7 (for students) to 18 euros (for a family), which at the current rate is 539 and 1386 rubles. respectively. A regular ticket costs 9 euros (693 rubles). Archery, coin minting, writing with a quill pen and other additional types of entertainment are paid at a price of 1.5 euros (115 rubles). Guide services are paid separately at a price of 20 euros (1540 rubles) per hour. Dining is provided by Shenkenbergi inn, where you can order various dishes of medieval cuisine, and at quite reasonable prices.
General conclusion
Rakvere Castle is one of the most important sights of Estonia, which has seen a lot in its lifetime. For almost 800 years of its existence, in whose only hands it has not been - Danes, Livonians, Swedes, Russians. As a result, now the castle belongs to the sovereign state of Estonia.
Within its walls a completely different life is modeled - medieval. This is a completely different way of life and culture, which you can look at in the castle from different angles. You can feel like a knight, riding around the territory on a horse or trying on armor and fighting with swords, shooting from a bow. Many of the crafts of the Middle Ages can be learned - minting coins, creating candles from wax, writing with a pen and much more. Prices for entrance fees to the castle, as you can see, are quite affordable.