Põltsamaa Castle

A church in the cannon tower was established because the old church on the left river bank had been destroyed in 1600. The church has remained in the same place since 1632, for nearly four hundred years.

After the Great Northern War, where the castle had burned, part of it was turned into gorgeous rococo palace. This happened in the 18th century, when Woldemar Johann von Lauw, a Major with enterprising spirit and princely lifestyle, built the former convent building into a luxurious palace.

The Rococo and Early Classicist interiors in three halls and thirty other rooms that fascinated the people at the time. In addition, von Lauw built a copper smithy, starch factory and parking buildings, constructed a porcelain manufacture, a window glass factory and a mirror factory. The blue-white porcelain of Põltsamaa became quite famous and its pieces can still be seen in castle museum today.

After the death of Major Lauw, in 1798, Count Aleksei Bobrinsky, son of Catherine the Great, became the owner of the castle. Later on, through marriage of Bobrinskis’ daughter, the castle went to the family of the prince Gagarin. The last owner of the palace in 1919 was Nikolay Gagarin, Lieutenant of the Guard Corps.

Põltsamaa Castle, a beautiful example of Rococo style, was destroyed during World War II, on July 14th 1941. The Saint Nicholas church was built up again in 1952 thanks to the active young pastor Herbert Kuurme.

Today you will find museum, tourist information, wine cellar, food museum, rococo theme room, handicraft shops, art galleries, castle restaurant and church from the castle yard. One of the points of the famous Struve Geodetic Arc - inscribed on the World Heritage List of UNESCO - was also on the observation deck of the castle.

Visit Põltsamaa Castle website

Põltsamaa is a beautiful small town in Central-Estonia, known for its wines, roses and bridges. By the riverside you will find the pearl of the area – Põltsamaa castle. Its history dates back into the 13th century, when stone fortress (Oberpahlen) was established by the Teutonic Order. The building itself was inspired of Roman fort limes: square, without towers, gates in two opposite sides.

In the next century, a four-wing convent building with a massive corner tower and long halls were built in the eastern corner of the castle. During the 16th century, this main building was the residence of Livonian king Magnus. The military camp of Magnus was located at the hill of Põltsamaa, which was named Kuningamägi (King’s Hill or Königsberg).