Restoration of Courland Dukes' Sarcophagi Completed After 20 Years
After more than two decades of work, four tin sarcophagi of the Dukes of Courland were blessed in Jelgava Palace, and a new exhibition featuring restored children's garments was opened.
A long-term cultural heritage restoration project has concluded in the crypt of the Dukes of Courland at Jelgava Palace. This week, a ceremony was held to bless four restored tin sarcophagi of the Kettler family and to arrange the remains inside. The event was attended by Uldis Gailītis, assistant bishop of the Liepāja diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia; Baron Nikolass fon Bērs, head of the Courland Knighthood; Laura Lūse, director of Rundāle Palace Museum; Ilze Beitāne, vice-rector for studies of the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies (LBTU); Ginta Linīte, head of Jelgava Palace Museum; as well as restorers and industry specialists.
The restoration took more than 20 years, with each sarcophagus requiring several months of work. The task demanded exceptional precision, patience, and professional skill. Restorers carefully cleaned the sarcophagi, preserving inscriptions and polychrome remnants, and retouched newly cast details. The crypt came under the management of Rundāle Palace Museum in 1979, and since 2006, restoration has been carried out in cooperation with the Combined Fund of the Courland Knighthood, which regularly donated funds.
Alongside the blessing, a new exhibition was opened, showcasing for the first time restored garments and items used in children's burials. The crypt contains 21 burials, 18 of which are in tin sarcophagi. Last year, all 18 sarcophagi were included in the Latvian national register of UNESCO's Memory of the World programme. Museum director Laura Lūse emphasized that this marks a significant milestone in preserving Latvia's cultural heritage. Baron Nikolass fon Bērs noted that this history is shared by both Germans and Latvians.
The new exhibition is now open to visitors.
