Rakvere fästning i Estland - historia och skådespel

In co-operation with the Estonian Tourist Board

Rakvere Fortress is located on a hill in the town of Rakvere in northern Estonia. The fortress once belonged to both Denmark and Sweden and has a lot of history to tell. We came here by motorhome after our visit to Lahemaa National Park, and then found a really nice campsite.

Table of contents

Rakvere Fortress in Estonia

Located in northern Estonia, Rakvere Fortress has a history dating back to the 13th century. For a long time the fortress belonged to the Danish kings, but throughout history it has also belonged to knightly monks from the Livonian Order and both Sweden and Poland.

During the Polish-Swedish war of 1600-1629, the castle was destroyed by both sides and has been in ruins ever since. Sweden removed Rakvere from its list of fortresses in 1635.

Today, the fortress is a popular tourist attraction, and inside the castle, activities and plays are organised to take both children and adults back to the 16th century. Join us through the gate!

READ MORE: Pärnu in Estonia - beaches, spas and villas
READ MORE: Narva in Estonia - on the border with Russia

Courtyard with lots of activities

As soon as you step into the courtyard of Rakvere Fortress, you feel like you've been thrown back to the 16th century with knights, horses, carriages, hanging gallows, brothels and clucking hens.

There is also a restaurant on the farm, the Schenkenberg Inn, where you can drink beer and order typical medieval dishes.

More rooms in Rakvere Fortress

If you go further into the fortress, there is a lot to look at, such as wine cellars, chapels, torture chambers, a prison and a workshop for alchemists among others.

View from the wall

If you go to the top of the wall, you have a great view of the whole castle, and partly also of the city of Rakvere.

READ MORE: The cliffs of Ontika in Estonia - and Oru Park in Toila
READ MORE: Lahemaa National Park in Estonia - nature and mansions

City of Rakvere

Rakvere is Estonia's fifth largest city, with around 16,000 inhabitants. The town, formerly known as Wesenberg, was an important trading centre in the Middle Ages. Today it is known for its old fortress, its spa culture and its festivals. The town is also known for the special bull statue that stands tall next to the Rakvere fortress.

Tarva statue

The large bull standing on Vallimägi Hill, next to Rakvere Fortress, is called the Tarva Statue and was made by Estonian sculptor Tauno Kangro. The bronze statue was erected on the occasion of Wesenberg's 700th anniversary in 2002. The sculpture, together with the granite block, is 7 metres long, 4 metres high and weighs 7 tonnes.

Mereoja Seaview Caravan & Camping

After the visit to the Rakvere fortress, we rolled on to the Mereoja Seaview Caravan & Camping, located on the northern coast of Estonia. Wow, what a nice campsite! This place is completely to our taste.

The service facilities are very modern and there is everything you need in terms of electricity, water, grey water and chemical toilet emptying, as well as WiFi, washing machines and a mini-shop. We paid 21 euros for one night this July.

At the end of the campsite, a small staircase goes down to a private little sandy beach. The sand is really nice and it's shallow. What more could you want? One thing that is nice about travelling and camping in Estonia is that it is so quiet, and not crowded anywhere!

Viodeo from Rakvere

Facts about Rakvere Fortress in Estonia

Name: Rakvere fortress in Swedish, Rakvere linnus in Estonian and Rakvere castle in English.
Location: Vallimägi, Rakvere
Opening hours: In the high season (May-September), the fortress is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. In the low season (March-April and September-October), the fortress is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In the low season (November-February), groups can book tickets at any time. (2019) Tickets are sold until one hour before closing time.
Prices: Adults pay €11 and students €9. Children who have not started school are admitted free of charge. A family ticket costs €22. A guided tour costs €30 for one hour. (2019) Please note that prices are subject to change.

Things to see and do in Rakvere Fortress

Activities: Horse riding, coin making, quill writing, candle making and more, and various workshops (such as blacksmithing, learning about weapons, ceramics, carpentry and puppet theatre), some of which must be booked in advance. Various exhibitions are also on display, such as an exhibition on swords, brothels and barbers.
Service: There is a restaurant (Schenkenberg Inn) serving medieval dishes, including stews, lamb, sausages and herring, and a children's menu. There is also a small souvenir shop.
Read more: You can find more information at The fortress website

READ MORE: Facts about Estonia - 30 things you (might) not know

Programme "Promoting Estonia as a Tourism Destination" is supported by European Union Regional Development Fund.

11 Comments

Add yours →

Ann says:

That looks like my kind of place 😀.

09 July 2019 - 8:34

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Well worth a visit! ??
  
  09 July 2019 - 16:44
  
Ama de casa says:

A bit more hustle and bustle in that fortress than the ones Anders usually sniff out here in Spain... 😉.

Lovely to have some space around you when travelling around 🙂 .

09 July 2019 - 9:56

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  All the activity in the castle was a bit of a surprise for us, but fun! And sooo nice that there is space here! I notice that you get a little more relaxed from it! ??
  
  09 July 2019 - 16:45
  
Ditte says:

Rakverer is nice! I have been here a few times. And getting around Estonia is easy because the distances are quite small. If you pass the small fishing village of Käsmu, take a look there.
I have never camped but have travelled around a lot. There are lots of small nice hotels and guesthouses.
Keep up the good work.

09 July 2019 - 13:38

- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Glad you were here Ditte! We visited Käsmu when we were in the national park, nice! Of course there are many hotels and guesthouses, and many campsites too!
  
  09 July 2019 - 16:46
  
Britt-Marie Lundgren says:

It's great when they have some activities and the buildings come alive. Sometimes it feels as if we are tired of castles and fortresses just because it is only one building.

09 July 2019 - 19:04

BP says:

The tick was really big, bigger than I thought when I saw the outside. The activities are somewhat reminiscent of the medieval week on Gotland.

09 July 2019 - 20:27

Mr Nils-Åke Hansson says:

I can believe you are in Spain! What a lot of exciting things you find there. Many good tips. Keep up the good work

09 July 2019 - 21:27

Lena - good for the soul says:

Places like that are so cool to visit. Fun to walk around and fantasise about what it was like at the time. And wow, what a stay. Maffig!

Hug Lena

10 July 2019 - 6:39

Mia's Mix says:

Have never been to Estonia but have seen all your nice pictures on instagram. I have to admit that I want to go there. This place looks very charming. Travelling around the country gives so much more than just being in one place. Although it can also be nice sometimes 🙂 Have a good time!

11 July 2019 - 19:55

Rakvere fortress in Estonia - history and spectacle

In co-operation with the Estonian Tourist Board

Rakvere Fortress in Estonia

Courtyard with lots of activities

More rooms in Rakvere Fortress

View from the wall

City of Rakvere

Tarva statue

Mereoja Seaview Caravan & Camping

Viodeo from Rakvere

Facts about Rakvere Fortress in Estonia

Things to see and do in Rakvere Fortress

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11 Comments

Ann says:

Helena says:

Ama de casa says:

Helena says:

Ditte says:

Helena says:

Britt-Marie Lundgren says:

BP says:

Mr Nils-Åke Hansson says:

Lena - good for the soul says:

Mia's Mix says:

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