Blankenfelde Manor
Zemgale, Latvia
Blankenfelde Manor is located in Latvia
Blankenfelde Manor
Blankenfelde Manor
Coordinates56°20′40″N 23°32′50″E / 56.34444°N 23.54722°E / 56.34444; 23.54722
TypeManor
Site information
Open to
the public		yes
Site history
Built1743

Blankenfelde Manor (Latvian: Blankenfeldes muiža) is a manor in Vilce Parish, Jelgava Municipality in the historical region of Zemgale, in Latvia. Built at the last quarter of the 17th century, it changed owners several times. The renovation work is currently being processed.

History

The first reports of the manor date from 1689 when the owner was Ernst von Medem.[1] The estate changed owners several times and was part of the von Hahn family from 1840 until 1920.[1] Between 1804 and 1805 the manor was bestowed by the Russian imperial house to Andreas von Königfels, during this time the manor was visited by exiled French King Louis XVIII.[1]

Description

The complex structure of the manor dates from the mid 18th century and the main building erected in 1743 has a 19th-century English-style park with exotic fir trees and multiple small ponds, nowadays also with play and sports grounds. The manor complex features also a restored gatehouse and a stable.[2] The manor is distinguished from other Latvian manors by the small architectural forms, such as the entrance gates, tea pavilions, grotto, the only rococo wrought iron garden gate in Latvia. Nowadays the manor houses a hotel, a small juice plant (using berries grown in manor's garden) and a bell museum.[1] The renovation work of the main building is now underway. Blankenfelde estate flower garden is part of the spring tulbifestivale.[1]

The manor and the stay of the future Louis XVIII are the topic of a novel by french author David Gaillardon : La Nuit de Blankenfeld (The night of Blankenfeld) dealing with the damnation of the king's companion, the marquess of Mailly-Nesles at Blankenfeld, during the night of Christmas 1804.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Latvijas Piļu un Muižu asociācija. "Blankenfeldes muiža". Latvijas Piļu un Muižu asociācija. Archived from the original on 6 May 2004. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  2. ↑ Zarāns, Alberts (2006). Latvijas pilis un muižas. Castles and manors of Latvia (in Latvian and English). Riga. ISBN 9984-785-05-X. OCLC 72358861.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)


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