A manor house was the cultural centre of an estate and at the same time the centre of rural life. The landlord lived here with his family, who ruled over the Estonians and Latvians who had been serfs until 1819. Their architecture and furnishings resembled western models. Today they are part of the Estonian and Latvian cultural heritage.
The buildings were stylistically diverse and ranged from modest wooden houses to magnificent palaces. They experienced their architectural heyday in the period of classicism from the 1780s until well into the 19th century.
Landscape parks were created according to English models, which served for excursions with guests as well as for representation. The latter aspect also played a role in the generous interior design.
Individual visitors and large societies invited to balls or hunts at the mostly far-off manor complexes were always a welcome change. Hospitality is considered a characteristic of the Baltic German self-image.
Today, many buildings have been destroyed or are in ruins, others restored thanks to Latvian and Estonian initiatives and constitute highlights of a Baltic trip.
Illustration:
The estate of Palmse with its Baroque manor house, the representative park as well as the outbuildings and farm buildings. Estates often covering thousands of hectares also belonged to the manor house. Photo: Ants Hein.