Embūte Castle

Embūte Castle
Courland, Latvia
Type	Castle
Site information
Condition	Ruins
Site history
Built	13th. century
Built by	Bishop of Courland

The ruins of Embūte Castle are located in Embūte, Latvia (German: Amboten), in the Embūte parish, Vaiņode municipality, not far from an ancient castle hill erected by Curonians. It was an ancient Curonian settlement and is mentioned in ancient chronicles as a place with strong Curonian resistance to German crusaders.

History

Embūte Castle was built in the middle of the thirteenth century as residence for the Bishop of Courland. It came in the hands of the Livonian Order for a short period, but in the end of the thirteenth century it again belonged to the bishop. The castle was many times rented in the following centuries. In the sixteenth century the castle became a centre of big manors and residence for local German landlords. The castle was destroyed in the Great Northern War. Some documents from the eighteenth century tells, that only the castle walls are preserved. In the same century a manor was erected on the old castle walls. It was expanded in the nineteenth century by demolishing one of the old gate towers.

The last owner of the castle was the widow of Hans von Hahn. The castle burned down in 1920 and the baroness moved to Germany. Local rumours says that the baroness burned the castle to avoid its nationalization by the new Latvian government. During the agrarian reforms in Latvia (1921–1930) all manors and land was nationalized and divided by the Latvian government. After the Second World War, the local Soviet kolkhoz used stones from the castle as building materials.

Today's Castle

Embūte Castle ruins are situated far from the main road, in the sparsely populated region of Courland. Today's ruins are surrounded by trees and in quite bad condition. Only fragments of some walls and towers are visible.

References

External links

• Media related to Embūte Castle ruins at Wikimedia Commons
• (Latvian) Embūte Castle (ruins) and estate
• (Latvian) Embūte Castle ruins

Latvia: Castles, Palaces, and Fortresses
Castles	Aizkraukle Aizpute Alsunga Alūksne Bauska Cēsis Daugavgrīva Dinaburga Dundaga Dobele Ēdole Embūte Grobiņa Jaunpils Koknese Krimulda Krustpils Ludza Nurmuiža Piltene Rauna Rēzekne Riga Sigulda Sigulda New Turaida Valmiera Ventspils
Palaces	Bīriņi Cesvaine Cīrava Jelgava Kazdanga Krāslava Laidi Mežotne Pope Preiļi Rundāle Snēpele Stāmeriena Varakļāni Vērgale
Manors	Adamova Aizupe Apriķi Arendole Asare Aumeisteri Baldone Bebrene Beļava Bēne Biksēre Biksti Blankenfelde Boja Bornsminde Bramberģe Brukna Cēre Cirsti Dikļi Dole Drabeši Dunalka Durbe Dursupe Dzelzava Dzērbene Dzērve Dzimtmisa Ērberģe Eversmuiža Ezere Felicianova Gārsene Igate Ilga Īvande Jaunauce Jaungulbene Jaunmokas Jaunmuiža Jasmuiža Jaunsvente Jumurda Juzefinova Kabile Kalna Kalnmuiža Kameņeca Katvari Kaucminde Kokmuiža Lamiņi Lielauce Lielmēmele Lielzalve Litene Lizums Lūznava Malnava Mālpils Mazsalaca Mencendarbe Mežmuiža Mūrmuiža Naukšēni Nogale Odziena Ozolmuiža Padure Palsmane Pasiene Pastende Puikule Reģi Remte Reņģe Rikava Salnava Sasmaka Sērmūkši Skaistkalne Stende Stukmaņi Suntaži Svēte Svitene Šēnheida Šķēde Taurupe Tiņģere Trapene Ungurmuiža Vadakste Vaiņode Valdeķi Vandzene Vāne Vārkava Varme Vecauce Vecbebri Vecborne Vecgulbene Vecmēmele Vecsaliena Veselava Vestiena Zaļā Zaļenieki Zante Zasa Zemīte Ziemeri Zvārtava
Also see: List of castles in Latvia

Coordinates: 56°30′18″N 21°49′06″E / 56.50500°N 21.81833°E / 56.50500; 21.81833