Rundāle Palace

Rundāle Palace (Latvian: Rundāles pils; German: Schloss Ruhental, formerly also Ruhenthal and Ruhendahl) is one of the two major baroque palaces built in the 18th century for the Dukes of Courland in what is now Latvia, the other being Jelgava Palace. It is situated at Pilsrundāle, 12 km west of Bauska. It was constructed in the 1730s to a design by Bartolomeo Rastrelli as a summer residence of Ernst Johann von Biron, the Duke of Courland. Following Biron's fall from grace, the palace stood empty until the 1760s, when Rastrelli returned to complete its interior decoration.

After Courland was absorbed by the Russian Empire in 1795, Catherine the Great presented the palace to her lover, Prince Zubov, who spent his declining years there. His young widow, Thekla Walentinowicz, a local landowner's daughter, remarried Count Shuvalov, thus bringing the palace to the Shuvalov family, with whom it remained until the German occupation in World War I when the German army established a hospital and a commandant's office there. The palace suffered serious damage in 1919 during the Latvian War of Independence. In 1920, part of the premises were occupied by the local school. In 1933, Rundāle Palace was taken over by the State History Museum of Latvia. It was dealt a serious blow after the World War II, when the grain storehause was set up in the premises and later, the former duke's dining room was transformed into the school's gymnasium. Only in 1972 permanent Rundāle Palace Museum was established.

The palace is one of the major tourist destinations in Latvia. It is also used for the accommodation of notable guests, such as the leaders of foreign nations. The palace and the surrounding gardens are now a museum.

References

External links

Listed in the following categories:
Post a comment
Tips & Hints
Arrange By:
5 June 2013
Посещение Рундальского дворца - это прекрасные воспоминания о Латвии. Портрет молодой Теклы Валентинович просто заворожил меня, заставил глубже узнать историю ее жизни, неразрывно связанной с историей дворца Бирона. Так чудесный портрет побуждает знакомиться с историей государства российского и расширяет твой кругозор. Я была в Риге и Рундале в мае 2013г.
Inese Purmale
8 July 2016
The palace is very beautifully (designed by the same Italian architect Rastrelli as winter palace) kept with highly interesting items. There are rose gardens and park behind it worth a visit.
Bukoptimistas
28 April 2013
It was a magnificent place that astonished us with its architecture and beautiful views of garden. If you visit Latvia we strongly recommend you to visit this place.
Mareks Matisons [marruciic™]
Rundāle Palace Museum is one of most visited tourist destinations in Latvia. In July and August beautiful rose gardens are also in full bloom (tey say - 20,000 roses could be seen). Remarkable!.
Grazyna O
8 August 2017
Beautiful gardens:-) worth coming here to see them. The palace is impressive. Wonder about the guy who built it though... one wing for him and his wife living in a separate one??
Discover Latvia
12 December 2011
Wonderful palace absolutely worth to visit. One of Latvia’s most outstanding monuments of Baroque and Rococo art.
Pavel Ulyanin
1 March 2016
Просто отличнейшее место. Работники музея могут рассказать много интересного и о Бироне, и о временах империи. Растрелли постарался. Красиво расписаны потолки.
Load more comments
foursquare.com
8.5/10
15,894 people have been here
Map
1.6km from P103, Rundāles pagasts, LV-3921, Latvia Get directions
Fri 9:00 AM–6:00 PM
Sat 9:00 AM–9:00 PM
Sun 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
Mon 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
Tue 10:00 AM–5:00 PM
Wed 9:00 AM–4:00 PM

Rundāle Palace on Foursquare

Rundāle Palace on Facebook

Hotels nearby

See all hotels See all
Mezotne Palace Hotel

starting $87

Rixwell Bauska Hotel

starting $56

Hotel Mikelis

starting $57

Kolonna Hotel Brigita

starting $32

Hotel Vilmaja

starting $39

Hotel Best

starting $38

Recommended sights nearby

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Mežotne Palace

Mežotne Palace is a palace in the historical region of Zemgale, in

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Bauska Castle

Bauska Castle (Latvian: Bauskas Pils; German: Schloss Bauska) is a

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Jelgava Palace

Jelgava Palace (Latvian: Jelgavas pils) or Mitava Palace is the

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Tervete Castle

Реконструкция древнелатышского (земгальского) замка

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Biržai Regional Park

Biržai Regional Park covers 14,659 hectares (36,220 acres) in

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Karvės Ola

Коро́вья пеще́ра (lietuvių. Karvės ola) — карстовая воронка с

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Biržai Castle

Biržai Castle is a castle in Biržai, Lithuania. Construction of the e

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Astravas Manor

Astravas Manor is a manor in Biržai suburb Astravas, Lithuania. It

Similar tourist attractions

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Dolmabahçe Palace

The Dolmabahçe Palace (Turkish: Dolmabahçe Sarayı) in Istanbul, Tu

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Laxenburg castles

Laxenburg castles are imperial palaces and castles outside Vienna, in

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Belvedere (palace)

The Belvedere is a baroque palace complex built by Prince Eugene of

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Chapultepec Castle

Chapultepec Castle (Castillo de Chapultepec in Spanish) is located on

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Het Loo

Paleis Het Loo (English: 'Palace The Woods') is a palace in Apeldoorn,

See all similar places