BruderIn medieval Livonia, there were not so few castles. On the territory of present-day Latvia, there were 152, and on the territory of present-day Estonia – 82.
The Livonian Order also had its own castles, whose lands were part of the Livonian Confederation.
The castles of the Order were divided into large and small. In large castles, such as Wenden (Cēsis Castle), the Order’s chapters would gather, and they could serve as the residence of the vogts, such as in Wesenberg-Rakvere.
Small castles were typically the residences of the Order’s vassals, intended for the personal protection of the estate owner’s family, close ones, and servants in case of war or a peasant uprising.
The Angern Castle (Angerja), the ruins of which are located in Rapla County, Kohila Parish, Angernia village, was such a small castle. Historians believe it was built in 1424. It was named after one of its owners, Heinrich von Angern. Between 1451 and 1455, Angern belonged to the Reval (present-day Tallinn) commander of the Order, whose official residence was the Dome Hill-Tallinn Castle in what is now Tallinn. The castle was rectangular, two-story, without towers, but its walls were 2 meters thick. Each floor had two rooms, and it had cellars and a secret exit. The castle was protected by an additional fortification wall, behind which was a mound and a moat filled with water from the nearby Angernia stream.
The castle had many owners. After the commander, it was owned by Brun von Vetberg, then Ikskül, the Meyendorffs, the Lilienfelds…
The last owner before it was confiscated in 1919 was Waldemar Lindemann.
The castle is now in ruins and in a deplorable condition. It is believed that the destruction happened during the Livonian War.
It is a pity that Angern Castle was never restored, as similar small castles, like Kiidu, Purtse, and Vao, were restored in the last century.
It is really unfortunate, especially from the perspective of a tourist attraction in Estonia, not to mention that it is part of our country’s cultural and historical heritage.
Sincerely,
Dmitri Unt
Tour Guide.
Постоянный адрес статьи: http://livland.org/?p=3434