Cesvaine Castle: How a Baltic German Mansion Is Being Restored After a Fire
Cesvaine Castle in Vidzeme, Latvia, damaged by fire in 2002, has been under restoration for two decades. Investment has reached four million euros, and the castle now operates as a cultural and arts centre.
Cesvaine Castle in the Vidzeme region of Latvia, built in the late 19th century for Baron Adolf von Wulf, has been under restoration for about 20 years following a fire in 2002. Total investment has reached four million euros, and the castle now serves as a cultural and arts centre that drew around 30,000 visitors last year. Castle historian Rita Medne described the work.
Construction and the fire
The castle was built between 1893 and 1896, partly on the site of an old manor house and a medieval castle. Von Wulf hired two Berlin architects, Hans Griesenbach and August Dinklage. The building combines Romanesque, Gothic, Art Nouveau and Renaissance elements, has a U-shaped layout, and its tower viewing platform stands 21 metres high. It also had a pump house with a steam engine for the water supply.
The baron died in Vienna in 1904, aged 47. From 1919 a school operated in the building. On 5 December 2002 a fire destroyed the second floor and roof, and the towers collapsed; the cause was given as an improperly installed stove in the attic. The state then declined ownership, which passed to the Cesvaine municipality.
The restoration
Restoration dragged on because the municipality lacked funds. About 35 projects have been carried out with European Union and State Culture Capital Foundation support, along with donations. The roofs of the left and right wings were renewed by 2010, and the central section's roof in 2019. By 2021 central heating (partly) and rainwater drainage had been installed, and terraces, floors, fireplaces and the Musicians' Room restored.
Recently, insect drawings were uncovered on the tower walls, three windows were restored, and part of the ceiling flower compositions was recovered. The central terrace and one part of the castle remain unfinished, and further work depends on funding.
Income and filming
The castle does not fully cover its costs, falling about one fifth short. Income comes from tickets and foreign film shoots: Mozart's Shadow, the series Sisi, the horror films The Pied Piper and Sonata, and the South Korean films Shanghai and Harbin were filmed there. Paintings by artist Agris Sārs are on display until 22 November.
