Rundale Palace

Built for the baron Birem, Duke of Courland, the 18th century Rundale palace is a highlight for many (international) visitors to Latvia. This small Versailles is an architectural gem in the center of Latvia. The architect also built the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg and the baroque palace has many similar facets.

In addition to the palace there are stables, gardens and an adjacent park that has been used as a hunted lot. Inside you can admire a large collection of paintings and porcelain. Duke Biron was a lover of the then Russian empress Anna Ivanovna and used the palace as a summer residence. When she died, the duke was exiled to Siberia due to his expanding power.

About 22 years later, under the reign of Catherina the Great (of Russia), the duke was returned to his palace and resumed construction work. Biron died and Catherina donated the beautiful palace to her lover. During the land reforms of 1920, the palace came into the hands of the Latvian state, which had since been established. During WWI, in which the palace now belonged to the state, it was used as a school. In 1933 the palace was entrusted to the historic state museum. The sustained war damage was restored during this period. The palace was fortunately undamaged during WWII. However, it suffered from wear and erosion.

In 1972 a major restoration started and since then tourists can visit the palace, including the museum and its gardens.

The interior consists of 138 rooms divided over two floors. A large part of these halls has been restored. The palace houses a rich collection of paintings, gilding and porcelain. The most famous rooms are the White Hall, which used to be used as a ballroom, the Golden Hall, which was the throne room, and the Great Gallery, which functioned as a banquet hall.

These three rooms are located in the central building, where the Duke's private rooms were also located. The duchess and the other family members lived in the western building.

Most of the palace's original furniture was divided to various European countries after 1920, although since then some old furniture has returned, as a gift from the descendants of the former owners, both those of the Duke Biron and those of the two Russian families who have lived there. In the crypt are some sarcophagi from former residents, the oldest dating from 1569.