PALM MANOR

The Von der Pahlen family ruled the region administratively and commercially from the Palmse estate for almost 200 years. Palmse Manor is a former Cistercian monastery that was converted into a manor house in the 18th century. It is undoubtedly the most impressive manor house in Estonia that has been thoroughly renovated. Construction of the main building and outbuildings began in 1697, but the Northern War between Sweden and Russia interrupted the work, which was not resumed until 1740. The Von der Pahlen family occupied the property until 1923, when the cultivated land was nationalised and divided. They opted for a solid and modest building, chose local building materials and spared themselves any ostentatious decoration both inside and out. The great national writer Friederich Reinhold Kreutzwald explained the 200 years of peace in Palmse by the fact that this large family had a special relationship with its farmers. Apart from the chair in the general's master bedroom and the candlestick in the entrance hall, none of the current furniture is original. In 2004, the wine cellar was opened to the public and refurbished as a 19th century kitchen. To the right of the manor house, the former baths of the estate have been converted into a café. In the stables is the park's information centre which offers guided tours, maps and brochures. On site: numerous exhibitions on beer making, exotic plants..