Others altered their purpose and became schools or concert venues, for example. Quite a few have been bought, renovated, and opened up as hotels and spas.
One of the most eye-catching of these is what used to be Taagepera mõis in Valga County. The biggest visual trademark of this destination, which became a national cultural monument in 1999, is the castle that sits on the property's grounds (Taagepera Loss). You can stand low down on the hill, look up, and definitely see characteristics that match up with a castle. On the right hand side is a round tower that stands 40 metres tall, with a view above the entire complex for all those who climb up its winding staircase.
The structure's wide gables are marked with a spare arrangement of narrow windows. There are pointed turrets on the corners of the structure, and from its lower section, we can see a layer of exposed stone going around the building, along with a few small, sloped batters that echoe the battlements of a fortress. Nevertheless, the castle has never really been a form of defence for anyone.
The manor as a whole was first documented in the early 1600s, when it was owned, under the German name Wagenküll, by the von Rehbinder family. Thereafter, up to the late 1700s, it was owned by the von Stackelbergs. After this, it was owned by the von Stryk family, until the family lost possession of the manor after Estonia gained its independence. In 1922, the manor became a sanatorium, and continued in this purpose for 78 years.
The castle portion of the property was not built in the Middle Ages, of course, but much later — between 1907 and 1912. The architect, Otto Wildau, designed the castle in the Art Nouveau style for Hugo von Stryk. And in the 1930s, a more modern sanatorium building was constructed next door to the castle.
Upon arrival, visitors enter the property through an arched gateway topped with slate, viewing what was once an enormous family home. Since 2003, though, these buildings have operated as a hotel, currently named Lossispaa Wagenküll (Castle Spa Wagenküll).
Inside the castle, there are hallways with vaults and walls with old hunting trophies, wooden panels and cabinets. There is a sense of the past and former occupants in all of these details.
But of course, updates have been made to bring the hotel up to contemporary tastes. The most recent set of renovations concluded in 2018. Among the hotel's buildings, travel publication STANDBY Nordic noted that there are 75 rooms altogether, which include 10 suites, and that the restaurant can accommodate 140 guests.
The hotel, which is a 40 minute drive south from Viljandi, has accommodated many weddings and other events. The restaurant, named Anna Sophie, is particularly celebrated for its fish main courses. There is a spa underneath the complex with saunas and pools, and the castle is linked by a tunnel to what was once the sanatorium addition, where several rooms are today.
There are some points of interest around the buildings, too. As described by the hotel, the 5.4 kilometre long Taagepera hiking trail runs through forests, along the winding Õhne River, by a church and the cemetery of the manor's former barons, and a Memorial to the War of Independence. Off to the side of the castle is a reservoir, which is drained by the aforementioned river. The water mill here once generated electricity for the castle.
For those looking to do something with their hands, the nearby Taagepera Village Society and Handcraft Workshop, housed in a former stable, is a space where one can work with weaving, jewellery, clay sculpting, and more.
It's a place to unwind, go for a hike, have a picnic, and maybe stay longer; to see what it's like to live in a castle and wander its grounds.
And should the castle need to be defended, the hotel's fluffy grey cat, Sofi walks around, keeping things in order.
It's quite fitting that, for all of the heaviness that manor houses bear as places in Estonia's past, they have now become destinations for Estonians in relaxation and leisure, drastically changing what manor houses once signified.
