Dundaga Castle (Dondangen)

As the German chronicler Adam of Bremen recounts, around 1070, a certain Danish merchant, supported by the Danish King Sweyn II Estridsson, built the first Roman Catholic church in Courland, near Kolka Dune, though the exact location is unknown. Here is the text on which this assumption is based. Adam of Bremen wrote the history of the Hamburg bishopric (Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae Pontificum) between 1072 and 1076. The text reads: "Among the East Baltic islands, there are other islands, some deeper inland, subject to Swedish rule; the largest of them is called Courland; it is eight days' journey away; its inhabitants are very cruel, and all other tribes avoid them because they are excessively devoted to idolatry; there is much gold and the best horses there. All their houses are full of objects of divination and sorcery. People come from all over the world to ask their gods for prophecies, especially from Spain and Greece.

We are convinced that the island mentioned in the life of Saint Ansgar belongs to the Curonians and currently pays tribute to the Swedes. A church has now been built there through the efforts of a certain merchant, encouraged by many gifts from the Danish king. The king himself, trusting in God with joy and confidence, told me all this."

In 1234, papal legate Bishop Wilhelm of Modena established the Courland (later Piltene) bishopric, appointing priest Engelbert as the bishop of Courland. The Courland bishopric was divided by the lands of the Livonian Order into three parts (the districts of Piltene-Dundaga, Aizpute-Embute, and Saka-Cirava), and thus was entirely dependent on the Order.

Dundaga was first mentioned in historical sources in 1245, when Riga Bishop Nicholas donated 200 arklos (1800 hectares) of land to his Cathedral Chapter in the areas of Dondangen and Tergeln (Dundaga and Targale).

Riga Bishop Nicholas also issued a decree on August 16, 1248, in Turaida, confirming the property given by Bishop Albert to the Cathedral Chapter and subsequent additions, which had been continuously managed by them.

Soon after, around 1249, the castle of the Riga Cathedral Chapter was built in Dundaga, on a peninsula washed by the floodwaters of the Pāce River. This castle was extremely large for its intended purpose—as an administrative center, i.e., for the prefect, head of the cathedral.

The exact date of the start of Dundaga Castle’s construction is not found in historical sources. Historian Arndt believed that the castle was begun in 1249 by the master of the Livonian Order, Dietrich von Groningen, which is doubtful since the master held office until 1245 and had no reason to build a castle for the Cathedral Chapter. However, this version is most often found in literature, partly due to the depiction of the master at the entrance to Dundaga Castle.

A document from 1290 states that the Cathedral Chapter sold the villages of Vecāši and Usmas to Courland Bishop Edmund to cover expenses related to the construction of Edole Castle. Based on this document, the researcher of Courland estates, B. Schmits, asserts that Dundaga Castle was already built by then, as only after its completion could the chapter begin building a new castle.

The chapter simultaneously owned two or three castles—in the second half of the 13th century, these were Vecdole and Dundaga; in the 14th century, Dole, Krimulda, and Dundaga; and in the 15th-16th centuries, Dole, Krimulda, and Suntazi. The chapter’s castles were used as military strongholds during wars but primarily served economic functions.

In the founding act of the Courland chapter from 1290, Bishop Edmund determined that one-third of the bishopric’s income belonged to the chapter, and two-thirds to the bishop. These conditions were reaffirmed by Bishop Burkhardt on April 10, 1300. This meant that two-thirds of the bishopric remained under the bishop’s control, and one-third was exploited by the canons. There is no reliable information about which lands were ruled by the bishop and which by the chapter, and often even the two rulers themselves were unclear about the ownership of certain villages, as in 1471 when Bishop Tirgarten disputed some lands with his chapter.

Since the chapter’s residence was in Aizpute and the bishop’s in Piltene, it can be assumed that most of the chapter’s lands were in the southern part of the bishopric, and the bishop’s lands in the north. Both the bishop and the chapter had their own castles. Dundaga Castle withstood occasional attacks by the people of the Courland bishopric during the Middle Ages.

Like the Riga archbishop, the Cathedral Chapter had its own vogts—one in Krimulda, another in Dundaga Castle. The vogt of Dundaga and member of the Cathedral Chapter, Johann (Johan) from Riga, is mentioned in historical documents in 1310, indicating that the castle was built and served as the vogt’s residence.

It is known that the vogt of Dundaga had full authority, judicial power, the right to judge, and alone had the right to decide life or death and to execute sentences. While administering justice, the vogt paid the chapter about twenty marks per year. Because of his judicial rights, Latvians often called the vogt a judge. The vogt also had the right to collect taxes and duties, managed the chapter’s estate in his district, and could lend seeds to peasants on behalf of the Cathedral Chapter. From all this, it is clear that the vogt was the chapter’s authorized representative, judge, and estate manager of the Dundaga district.

The castle’s plan was a quadrangle consisting of three buildings. The central building was in front of an artificially dug narrow moat, protecting the approach to the peninsula from the land side. The side buildings facing the reservoir were shorter, and their corners were connected by a fortress wall, forming a closed inner courtyard. Behind the fortress wall, opposite the peninsula’s tip, was the forecastle—vorburg. If one studies the site plan carefully, a question arises: why was the castle not built at the very end of the peninsula? The reason is that an ancient Curonian settlement—Kalnadarzs—already existed there, inhabited long before the German stone castle appeared. This settlement was fortified with a ditch and an earth and stone rampart. Therefore, the Dondangen castle was built as close as possible to the Curonian settlement.

Access to the stone castle on the peninsula was possible only through the forecastle. The entrance was in the northwest wall behind the residential building. It is not exactly known whether the castle initially had towers or if they were built later. Possibly, a small gate tower was originally built—its presumed remains survive at the second-floor level, where there is a loophole that does not fit the general row and an exit to the surrounding gallery. The current massive gate tower was built later.

Since the castle was often rebuilt, its ensemble includes buildings from different eras. The oldest are considered the southern buildings, built from large boulders and then plastered. The masonry of the walls did not change much on both sides of the gate tower to a height of about three meters. Later, the walls were extended with field stones, covered on both sides with brickwork. Bricks were used both in the original construction of the castle’s oldest part and in later reconstructions.

The castle was intended for economic needs—it housed storage for agricultural products before delivery to Riga. The Riga Cathedral Chapter built similar castles on its other estates. Nevertheless, the structure was quite large: the walls reached 17 meters in height and were 3 meters thick.

Dundaga Castle was significantly larger than, for example, the Order castle in Ventspils. Initially, Dundaga Castle had more than sixty rooms, later reaching up to a hundred (this number is not supported by other sources). For comparison, the two-story castle in Ventspils contained twenty-five rooms. The castle’s large capacity was aided by its favorable location. Over the centuries, the castle’s functions changed—from a fortress to a luxurious noble residence.

The oldest surviving document mentioning Dundaga Castle in connection with attacks by German conquerors dates to 1318. Since the Livonian Order and the Riga archbishop often fought, castles on the periphery suffered during military conflicts.

The Order first conquered Dundaga Castle in early 1318 but was forced to abandon it on February 23, 1318. In 1359, the Order knights again captured and plundered the castle. The same happened in 1383. In 1389, the castle was occupied by the troops of the Courland bishop.

In 1434, after long disputes between the Riga Cathedral Chapter and the Courland bishopric, the head of the Riga Cathedral sold the castle for 6000 marks to the bishop of Courland. This ended the long-standing conflict, as the bishop had long tried to annex Dundaga to his diocese. At that time, the castle was significantly rebuilt to strengthen its defenses. The castle actually became the bishop’s residence only twice: in 1459 and 1503.

In 1559, shortly after the start of the Livonian War, Courland Bishop Johann IV sold his bishopric along with Dundaga Castle to the King of Denmark, who in turn gifted them to his brother Magnus, Duke of Holstein, who thus became the last bishop of Courland. Magnus Holstein divided the vast property and mortgaged it to several persons.

Hans Schlüter was at that time the mortgage owner of part of the Dundaga estate, which is why it was called Schluterhof (Schlüter’s estate). After all these changes, the area was again called Dundaga, and Duke Magnus in 1582 leased it for 12,000 thalers to Hungarian magnate Martin Berzewicz (Berzevich), Polish chancellor of Transylvania. He owned Dundaga for six years and during that time reunited most of the mortgaged parts under his control.

Dundaga Castle suffered twice during military actions. The first time was in 1583, when the war between Denmark and Poland over the Piltene inheritance began. Meanwhile, in 1585, the estate became Polish property ("Thronlehen") directly under the kingdom’s protection. But already in 1588, Berzewicz sold the castle to advisor Levin von Bülow of Brandenburg for 60,000 marks.

In 1651, the last owner of the castle from the von Bülow family died. His wife, née Osten-Sacken, married the mayor of Piltene, Otto Ernest von Meidel, so Dundaga became the property of the Meidel family.

The castle was last damaged in 1656, when it belonged to Otto Ernest Meidel. During the Polish-Swedish war, after artillery bombardment, the castle was captured by the Swedes but suffered only minor damage. After the war, the castle was rebuilt—two elongated one-story stone buildings were constructed around the foreburg yards.

The owner’s apartments, located on the second floor of the southeast block, were accessed by a wide staircase. The first floor housed utility rooms, including a washroom, bread oven, and kitchen. The castle burned twice from the inside out to the walls. Otto Ernest von Meidel managed to regain the castle for a large sum, swearing allegiance to Swedish King Charles X Gustav.

In the 17th century, Courland and Dundaga saw not only wars and destruction but also intensive construction. The Meidel family stood out. Under the energetic Anna Sibylla (castle mistress from 1670 to 1687), Dundaga flourished. Anna Sibylla was a successful manager. She established a lighthouse on Domesnes Cape (now Cape Kolka), helping sailors avoid the cape’s dangers on the way to Riga. Shipyards and a port were built in Sikrags. The castle managed by Anna Sibylla also underwent changes.

By the late 17th century, the castle lost its defensive purpose and was rebuilt into a luxurious manor house. In 1683, construction of a new chapel began near the gate tower in the northern corner of the forecastle, and in 1685, a second floor was added to the utility buildings opposite the chapel. Possibly at this time, the fortress wall between the castle and forecastle fortifications was demolished. Only a small fragment of this wall remains in the northwest corner of the castle.

In 1685, a large open wooden gallery was created around the castle courtyard. At this time, new residential buildings were added to all external walls of the castle, merging with the old structures. The buildings had two floors and an armory gallery in the attic. The third floor was added in a later reconstruction. The castle’s area approached its current size.

No traces of vaults have been found in the old castle walls. The basements and above-ground floors had horizontal wooden beam ceilings. In the late 17th to early 18th century, the northwest building’s first floor, to the right of the gate, housed the "Old Honey Room," which led to a vaulted chamber—according to legend, the room of the Green Lady.

From 1681 to 1685, a bell tower was built—the upper wooden part of the gate tower in Baroque style, resembling the spire of Riga’s St. Peter’s Church. It is believed that the famous Riga architect Rupert Bindenšū designed it. The tower had two bells—one for marking time, the other for calling parishioners to prayer. Later, the castle chapel was used for storing sugar and spices.

Soon the castle changed owners again. Being a childless widow, Anna Sibylla bequeathed Dundaga to her nephew Evald von Osten-Sacken from the Bate estate. From 1714 until the agrarian reform of 1920, the castle belonged to the Osten-Sacken family.

In 1855, Krišjānis Valdemārs published in the newspaper “INLANO” a description of the castle by priest J.F. Bankovs, adding that until that year, the castle’s ceilings were not plastered, walls not painted, there were no wooden floors (only stone slabs), and windows were secured with lead locks. Only doors and large door handles were decorated.

The Osten-Sacken family is a princely, countly, and baronial lineage dating back to the early 15th century. In the 16th and 17th centuries, family members held high positions in Courland; many served in Polish, Swedish, and Danish services, and from the first half of the 18th century, in Russia. The most notable among Dundaga’s owners was Prince Karl von der Osten-Sacken. In 1766, Karl von der Osten-Sacken built a stone church in Dundaga, replacing the old wooden chapel.

Around 1785, significant castle renovations took place. The layout was altered, a third floor added, and interiors remodeled. Stone buildings were constructed on the castle’s northeast side (between the chapel and utility buildings).

In 1786, after Frederick the Great’s death, von der Osten-Sacken was granted princely dignity by Frederick William II. Prince Karl did much for Dundaga and was buried there. His wife and heir owned Dundaga long after his death. They also owned the Bate estate, the old Sacken family holding.

From a letter by Dorothea von Biron, Duchess of Courland, dated 11.09.1784, Berlin: "Count Sacken, with whom I spend almost every day, often mentions you. The countess—the most kind lady in Berlin—is very friendly to me and introduces me to everyone."

In 1811, Captain of Dobele, Baron Ferdinand Osten-Sacken, a distant relative of her husband, became the estate’s heir. The castle’s keeper (castellan) offered him Dundaga succinctly. When asked, "Sacken, do you want to own Dundaga?" Baron Ferdinand replied just as briefly: "Yes, why not?"

By 1846, the castle chapel had long been unused and was falling into ruin. The chapel had wooden seats decorated with carvings, a confessional in the same style, many frescoes, and an organ.

In 1855, Krišjānis Valdemārs published in the newspaper “INLANO” a description of the castle by priest J.F. Bankovs, adding that until that year, the castle’s ceilings were not plastered, walls not painted, there were no wooden floors (only stone slabs), and windows were secured with lead locks. Only doors and large door handles were decorated.

During peasant unrest on the night of April 1, 1872, a fire broke out in the castle, and it burned down completely. Originally, there were basements under all castle buildings, which were filled with construction debris after the fire. A stone staircase led from the castle courtyard to the basements. The chapel tower collapsed then, as did the luxurious wooden gallery of the second floor. Not only furniture but also all documents, files, and letters were lost (according to other sources, the archive was saved with great difficulty). Nothing from the Dundaga archives has been published, so no one knows exactly what was destroyed in the fire.

There is a folk legend about the 1872 fire:

The fire apparently started carelessly in the barn. Two hundred cattle and fifty horses fell victim to the fire, which finally engulfed the tiled roof of the castle church’s bell tower. This pride of the entire area collapsed with a terrible noise. From there, the fire spread to the wooden gallery inside the castle, which the castle ladies used for daily walks. Since there were no firefighting tools, the owner and his family lived in Germany, and most servants were away, little was saved.

They barely managed to save silver items, the archive, several portraits of ancestors, and among other things—a large cradle. The wife of a peasant, who, unafraid of mortal danger, carried the cradle from the Green Lady’s room, gave it to the arriving owner, saying: “Dear master, I managed to save Dundaga’s happiness.” The entire castle interior burned down: the knight’s room with many old items, the Green Lady’s room, the beautiful castle church—all perished in a few hours. Only the soot-covered walls, 12 feet thick, remained.

At that time, the castle owner was Theodor von der Osten-Sacken, known for his harsh treatment of peasants. For example, in 1859, the Dundaga baron Osten-Sacken called on his peasants to sign new lease agreements that increased corvée and duties. The peasants refused to sign the outrageous contract but were forced to do so by military force. Those who refused were evicted, their cattle and equipment confiscated. The peasants’ leader, Nik Šubergs, was mercilessly whipped. In 1863, unrest flared again but was suppressed.

The castle was partially restored according to a project by Liepāja architect P.M. Berči in 1873. Little is known about the castle’s interiors between this reconstruction and 1905. It is known that about 16 large rooms and a chapel were on both floors. The ease with which historicist architects were ready to add Tudor-style towers even to genuine medieval castles is clearly seen in Berči’s 1873 restoration project for Dundaga Castle after the 1872 fire.

The plan included placing a battlemented octagonal turret in one corner of the castle’s inner courtyard with a spiral staircase. The ease and lack of concern for stylistic conformity in attaching such wooden verandas even to medieval fortresses is well demonstrated by Berči’s project.

The architect, without prejudice, was ready to decorate the old fortress with a completely inappropriate wooden annex in neo-Renaissance style. Thirty-three years later, during the 1905 revolution, on the night of December 1, the castle was burned by rebelling peasants. They allowed servants to remove items belonging to the owner.

In 1909, owner Christian von der Osten-Sacken began restoring the castle. Until then, most estate owners—Bülows, Meidels, and early Sackens—were significant figures: mayor of Piltene, district master, chancellor, minister, owners of other large estates like Bate. Four Sackens who owned Dundaga in the 19th century were merely castellans who cared for preserving their vast estate. They left Dundaga in all its medieval splendor and did not add modern elements to the castle’s structure.

Only the last owner, Baron Christian von der Osten-Sacken (1897–1919), a member of the mayorat, broke the "Sleeping Beauty" syndrome. The castle was brought up to standards of the early 20th century. German architect Hermann Pfeifer from Braunschweig participated in the restoration of Latvian castles after the 1905 revolution and developed the restoration project for Dundaga Castle in 1909 on behalf of Baron Christian von der Osten-Sacken.

The project was executed in the then-popular neoclassical style, though in restoring medieval castles, manifestations of this style were less consistent and did not always suit the building’s character. The neoclassical motifs used in facades and interiors were more a tribute to contemporary fashion than a historical reflection based on the building’s construction history.

The architect added several volumes to the castle, without which its functioning as a modern residence was practically impossible (especially the courtyard-side annexes). The castle’s plan was altered during this reconstruction. A new large annex was built in the courtyard opposite the gate.

The restoration used the latest technical advances and building materials of the time. For example, the method for calculating reinforced concrete structures was developed and published in France in 1886, and by 1909, hollow monolithic reinforced concrete ceilings were used in Dundaga.

In 1910, a project for electrifying the castle was prepared, including plans for two electric elevators. One was installed near the kitchen to deliver dishes to the dining room, the other in the southwest building to lift firewood to the third floor. Stove heating remained only in the northwest and southwest buildings.

The Osten-Sacken apartments already had central heating. This should not be criticized, but it caused the castle to acquire forms and elements alien to it, which sometimes clashed oppressively with the building’s ancient core. The southwest building was topped with a third floor, and a new three-story annex with a loggia was built. The castle’s roof was tiled.

In this case, the difference between neoclassical thinking and historicism should have manifested not so much directly in classical motifs but indirectly in respectful treatment of the castle’s authentic image, its most significant construction stages, and stylistic orientation toward the most appropriate solutions. Unfortunately, Pfeifer’s project did not yield very positive results in this regard.

In some building elements, the architect tried to restore the castle’s original austere appearance. In reconstruction, he was guided more by practical considerations, making the castle more comfortable for residents and safer against fire.

A peculiar attempt to return to historically justified forms is the fragment of a wooden gallery with carved Baroque festoons of the late 17th century included in the courtyard facade. Unfortunately, this only gave the building a museum-like accent and did not convince that this was truly an old building preserved for centuries.

Evaluating the restoration results of Dundaga Castle, it seems the architect did not sufficiently delve into the building’s construction history and local architectural specifics. Therefore, the neoclassical touch in his project should be seen as a superficial stylistic choice dictated by fashion, whose uncritical use largely discredited the principles declared by this style.

Successes in restoring the castle’s interiors are also hard to identify. Heavy oak panels, apparently intended to create a medieval atmosphere, were not tied to any specific period in the castle’s construction history and thus became just another decorative layer without convincing motivation.

The panels were made by a master from Kuldīga, who later made identical panels for Edole Castle. The austere ceiling moldings and other neoclassical-style finishing details should be assessed as too vague and indifferent.

The castle’s entrance tower’s appearance was changed again. However, abandoning the particularly impressive Baroque silhouette (which could be explained by a desire to return to the original simple medieval volume), the gate tower was unjustifiably given outdated Tudor neo-Gothic forms alien to the authentic building. Instead of the Baroque spire, a four-sided roof was built, and the tower was made taller.

After the 1905 fire, Christian von der Osten-Sacken ordered coats of arms of previous owners to be installed above the vaulted castle entrance: the coat of arms of the Riga Cathedral head, the coats of arms of the Courland bishop, Berzewicz, Bülow, Meidel, and Osten-Sacken. At the top were the von der Osten coat of arms (three rivers with keys) and the Sacken coat of arms (three stars—previously thought to be three roses). Both coats of arms were fixed on the wall together under a common helmet and ornament, symbolizing the union of the von der Osten and Sacken families.

The two sandstone steles with impressive figurative reliefs on both sides of the courtyard entrance doors should be seen as naïve theatrical effects. The left stele is dedicated to the "founder" of the castle, Livonian Order master Dietrich von Groningen. The right stele is dedicated to Riga Bishop Berthold. This stage set, embodying Nordic severity, does not fit well with the courtyard facades’ mood, already defined after reconstruction by cozy mansards, oval windows, and metal wrought window decorations in neo-Renaissance style.

Restoration work continued until 1914 and was partially completed but interrupted by World War I. The extensive reconstruction plan is evidenced by Pfeifer’s 1911 drawing. On the tower’s right side, tennis courts were planned; toward the church, a defensive moat with a wooden bridge and two pseudo-Baroque guardhouses at the bridge were planned.

Behind the bridge, stables and a riding arena were to be built; on the left side, a square with a barn on one side and a church on the other. This plan would have created an exemplary estate center, including barns (now lost), a church, and a parish house. For the early 20th century, such reconstruction was quite progressive.

In January 1919, Baron Christian was arrested by the Bolsheviks. He was taken from Dundaga Castle, which he did not want to leave voluntarily. Later, Christian, along with Rector Moltrecht and Dundaga pastor, was transported to Tukums and executed. The last owner of Dundaga was buried in a mass grave with other Bolshevik victims. Thus, Dundaga Castle remained in German hands for 674 years.

The Dundaga estate was the largest landholding in Courland and all Latvia (according to 1927 data) in the last 100 years. It owned about 69,920 hectares of swampy land. The estate was larger than four independent European countries of that time and bigger than many German principalities. The second largest estate in both Courland and Latvia was Pope (50,910 hectares). The third largest in Latvia was the largest estate in Latgale—Balvi (34,960 ha).

The park near Dundaga Castle dates back to the 17th century when the estate was owned by the von der Osten-Sacken family. Between the park and the castle is a pond connected to the Pāce River, covering 2.5 hectares. A terrace is arranged on the pond’s shore near the castle, and a stage is on the opposite bank. The park’s northern part was designed as a regular system of linden alleys, while the southern part had a free layout with scenic views of tree and plant groups, including large oaks.

During the estate period, the park was called "Briedžu dārzs" ("Deer Garden") because deer were bred, kept, and hunted there. During wartime, part of the park was cut down for army needs. Dundaga Park has been state-protected since 1957. Dundaga’s hunting fame was noted in a historical novel by A. Upīts, "On the Edge of Centuries":

"Baroness Gettling did not take her sparkling eyes off him while he told about life at Duke Friedrich Casimir’s court and about deer hunting in the Dondangen forests, where ladies also went."

"- And do these ladies shoot too—those ladies hunting in Dondangen?"

"- Unfortunately, they shoot too often. Last autumn, an unpleasant, very unpleasant incident happened. Luisa von Keller—we call her Luisa the Proud—was in ambush with the duke himself because that was her true place. She noticed something flickering among the pines—bang! She fired! But the animal had long since run away; Mr. Novak felled a wonderful roe deer, and we all looked at it and congratulated Mr. Novak. Suddenly—bang! She completely forgot that beaters were already coming out of the forest. It would have been better if it were some peasant boy, a beater, but it was the forester, old Podzingoda Polzaryad, in the belly—but they say he survived. In Livonia, you would surely have had a full investigation."

After Latvia gained independence, the castle passed to the state. In 1924, it became the property of the Dundaga parish government, which had been in Jaun Dundaga and moved to the castle in 1926. In 1926, the People’s House was also established in the castle. During World War II, the castle housed a German headquarters. From 1945 to 1974, it was a school. After a new school opened, the castle was empty. Since 1979, it has been a boarding school. Since 1988, a children’s music school operates there, and since 1990, a children’s art school.

With the founding of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic after World War II and subsequent expropriation, the Dundaga estate ceased to exist. The forest was divided into two forestry units, and the castle was occupied by a Soviet army military unit. Until 1990, the area was used for military purposes, and civilian population was restricted. In the 1980s–1990s, repair work was carried out in the castle.

Today, the castle is owned by the local government. It houses the Dundaga art and music schools, a cultural center, a tourist information center, a youth hostel with 17 beds (additional beds possible), and rooms for conferences, weddings, and banquets. Part of the castle is occupied by the Dundaga library and a secondary school boarding house. The castle is now the cultural life center of Dundaga parish.

Although repeatedly rebuilt and modernized, the castle still partially retains the character of a medieval fortress with a gate defensive tower and inner courtyard. The castle still uses wood heating. Entry inside is only possible with a guide. The castle has been restored and adapted for school needs, but many details of the former interior decoration remain.

Currently, research and restoration work is ongoing in and around the castle. Some rooms are adapted for creating a museum of the castle’s history and its inhabitants. A 17th-century cannon is located at the corner of Pils and E. Dinsberga streets. Most old buildings in the Dundaga settlement are made of red brick. During the Nicholas era, there were brick factories here. Dundaga was a town: according to the 1897 census, it had 11,500 inhabitants! According to the 2003 census, Dundaga’s population was about 4,000.

Many stories and legends are connected with Dundaga Castle. One legend says that Dundaga flourished during the ownership of Anna Sibylla von der Osten-Sacken, the very Sibylla known as an extremely beautiful and energetic woman who, arming the men of Dundaga and dressing in men’s clothes, defeated the Piltene bishop who encroached on her lands with her army.

The tale of how Dundaga arose was recorded by poet A. Lerhis-Pushkaitis, who heard it long ago in Sēce. In ancient times, where the walls of Dundaga Castle still stand today, there was a dark forested hill where a boy herded pigs. As often happens in legends, one pig got lost and later emerged from an underground burrow well-fed and fat. The boy climbed into the burrow and saw not only stables and barns but also a castle. However, both animals and people were dead. When the boy returned home, no one believed his story; adults laughed and scolded him. At night, he dreamed of an old man who ordered him to go to the castle, climb the tower, ring the bells, and listen carefully to what the bells said. The next day, the boy found two bells—one sounded “Dun, dun!”, the other “Danga, danga!” The boy laughed and repeated: “Dundaga, Dundaga!” At that moment, the castle rose from the ground, people came to life, and the boy turned to stone. Perhaps the legend refers to 1249, when castle construction presumably began.

The most famous legend is about the GREEN LADY OF DUNDAGA CASTLE.

In ancient times, Dundaga Castle belonged to the von Meidel family. Baron Otto Ernest von Meidel and his wife Anna Sibylla had no heirs, which greatly distressed the baron. In old times, castle owners could not leave inheritance to daughters. If there were no sons, the castle and other property passed to some male relative. And, as if to spite them, the owners of Dundaga had no sons for a long time, only daughters. The lords grieved that they could not leave their property to their own children but had to give it to strangers. And again, Baron Dundaga had three or four daughters and no son. He was already old and sometimes could not sleep at night from sorrow.

One night, he thought again that he would soon die without an heir. He could not stay home and went into the garden at midnight. While walking, suddenly a little gnome appeared. He asked the baron why he was so sad and why he was not sleeping. The baron told the gnome about his trouble: he was old, had no heir, and would have to leave the castle and all property to strangers. The gnome smiled and said: “No big deal! Let us, the gnomes, hold a wedding in your great hall tonight. Just make sure no one peeks at what we do. Then you will have a son.” The baron was very glad and promised that no one would peek.

According to another version, once during a hunt, the baron got lost in the Blue Mountains. At that time, the gnome king lived in David’s castle. Wandering in the forest, the baron met gnomes who showed him the way to Dundaga. But in return, the gnomes asked for a reward—the baron’s permission to celebrate the gnome king’s son’s wedding in the castle’s great hall. The baron had to promise that no one would interfere or watch. In return, the gnomes promised the baron happiness, wealth, and an heir. On the eve of the wedding, the baron ordered everyone to go to their rooms at sunset and not leave until dawn. Those who disobeyed would be walled alive into the castle walls. A girl, a distant relative of the baron, lived in the castle. She liked to wear green clothes and was called the Green Lady. She loved the gardener’s son, whom she was forbidden to marry. They met secretly.

The night of the gnome wedding came. The baron locked all doors and strictly ordered no one near the great hall. Everyone knew the baron was strict, so they obeyed and did not peek. But the gardener’s daughter and the stableman’s son often walked in the garden at night. On the eve of the gnome wedding, they met in the castle park. While walking, the girl saw light in the great hall windows, brighter than ever. She was overcome by an irresistible desire to peek through the keyhole. The boy tried to hold her back, but she insisted. She approached the window and looked—the gnomes were celebrating a wedding.

At one end of the hall were richly set tables with soft comfortable chairs; at the table’s end stood two chairs decorated with greenery and flowers. In another corner was a raised platform where musicians fussed with their instruments. The doors opened, and pairs of strange little men in luxurious clothes solemnly entered. Behind the first pair came the bride and groom in wedding attire. Everything would have been fine, but just as the gardener’s daughter peeked in, one gnome slipped and fell; the girl burst out laughing loudly. Immediately the lights went out, and the gnomes scattered. Only the old gnome remained; he approached the gardener’s daughter and said: “Because you could not restrain yourself and peeked, you will walk here at night after death, disturbing everyone’s peace.” Saying this, the old gnome disappeared. The gardener’s daughter soon died. And as the gnome said, so it happened: the gardener’s daughter wanders the castle at night. She wears the same green dress she wore in life, hence her name, the Green Lady.

According to another version, it was so beautiful that the Green Lady laughed and clapped her hands in surprise. At that moment, everything darkened and fell silent. The next morning, the baron went to the gnome king for his reward, but the king said: “You broke our agreement. Someone from your people saw our celebration. He deserves punishment, and you will remain without heirs.” The baron searched for the culprit and found a green shoe by the hall door. Thus, the Green Lady was walled into the castle’s stone wall. Because of her curiosity, she still watches what happens in the castle and makes her presence known.

The next night, the gnome came to the baron and said: “You did not keep your promise. You will have no son, nor will your descendants. Only when a birch tree as tall as a cradle pole grows on the stone by the great gate will a son be born to your descendants.” Indeed, on that very day, a birch sprout appeared on the stone near the great gate. It is said to have grown considerably and, if no one has broken it, will soon reach the cradle pole’s height. But who knows if someone has broken the birch? If not, it is unlikely any baron will own Dundaga Castle again.

At the castle entrance near the gate tower is the so-called Lovers’ Stone. If you have lost your beloved, sit on this stone, and you will surely find them! Such is the legend of the stone.

Sources:

http://www.ambermarks.com/_Pieminekli/GarieApraksti/TalsuRaj/DundagasPag/EDundagas_vid_pils.htm

https://www.castle.lv/latvija/dundaga.html Project by Renāta Rimša