Rakvere Castle is located in the town of the same name in northern Estonia. The German name of the castle is Vesenberg, in Russian chronicles it is found as Rakovor. It was first mentioned in history in the 13th century. The ruins of the castle stand on Vallimägi hill, which is 25 metres high.From 1347 to 1558, the city of Rakvere was owned by the Livonian Order. Over the years, the castle was rebuilt several times by different rulers. The castle suffered the most during the Polish-Swedish War (1602-1605), losing its defensive significance. Thus, the castle was crossed off the list of defence structures, as its restoration and rebuilding could not be quick.
.In the 17th and 18th centuries, the ruins of Rakvere Castle were used as a quarry, which supplied the surrounding land with building material. In the 19th century, with the emergence of the fashion for ruins, the hill with the ruins of Rakvere gained special value. The castle became a picturesque place for walks and picnics. The first works to restore the castle and put it in order began in 1901-1902.
In 1975, large-scale restoration work began on the castle, which was completed by 1988.Today you can walk around the castle either on your own or with a guide. The castle has managed to successfully recreate the atmosphere of the Middle Ages: at the entrance you will be met by controllers dressed in medieval outfits, along the perimeter of the castle there are all sorts of workshops where you can touch and feel everything and even try your hand at some crafts.
Inside the castle you can go down into the dungeon and look into the room of fear. It is divided into 3 parts. The torture room displays all sorts of implements for cauterising, stretching, breaking and crushing human flesh. The next room is a crypt, with "rotting" dead people everywhere. The last room is a hell, where the floor is constantly walking, howling and other frightening sounds are heard. All these rooms are decorated with appropriate lighting, helping to create a general atmosphere.
If you get hungry, you can have a bite to eat in the tavern, decorated in the same medieval style. There are massive wooden tables and chairs. The menu features both traditional medieval Estonian dishes and modern ones.
There is a small museum exhibition in the castle, describing mainly the medieval history of the fortress. On the first floor there is a hall where swords of different eras are presented. And you can not only look at them or take pictures, but also hold them in your hands and imagine yourself a real knight.This interesting place will be interesting for both adults and children. What is remarkable is the possibility to move around Rakvere Castle almost freely. You can touch much of what is presented here with your hands, take photos in costume in different parts of the castle.
