Virga Manor complex

Virgas Manor

Virgas Manor is a place where both the land, the manor’s walls, the trees in the manor park, the old windmills, and the manor ponds tell their story to a keen ear. Even sparrows and the spring, over which ancient people built the manor’s horse stable, share their tales. This manor, located at the edge of the Vārtāja River valley, has a unique energy. Even today, one can feel the footsteps of the ancient Curonians and the presence of the manor’s noble baron Nolde.

In 1575, Gerhard von Nolde (1524–1597) acquired the manor from Adam von Butlar and added it to the other properties granted to him in 1560, including Gramzda, Mazgramzda, and Kalēti.

The magnificent oak doors of Virgas Manor carry the touch of the old barons' hands and the history of the Nolde family. Although still mysterious, it’s possible that one of the manor's visitors might uncover at least some of these door’s secrets.

In one part of the manor, you can see the beautiful Wirgen bricks, obtained from a nearby brick kiln. At the junction where the yellow single-story building connects to the higher part of the baron’s house, Kalleten bricks (from the Kalēti brick kiln) can be seen.

From 1935 until 2020, the former baron’s house housed a school.

The Virgas Antique Collection is located in the manor’s building. It has been restored and updated with new exhibits. Here, you can learn about the Curonians along the Vārtāja River, the history of Virgas Manor and the Nolde family, as well as the military and Soviet collective farm times in Virga. You can not only view artifacts but also listen to stories. A walk through Virgas Manor will be enriched with the feeling of ancient times and the presence of people from the past.

The Servants' House and Stables of Virgas Manor

A significant part of the Virgas Manor complex is the servants’ house and the horse stable, which date back to 1837. The building is a sturdy two-story construction, with walls 90 cm thick, made from large fieldstones. There is no preserved information about how many servants lived in the house, but 24 rooms have been counted, and it is assumed that 10–12 families served Baron Nolde.

Over time, the building has been inhabited by various people. During the first Latvian Republic, farmers lived there, and after the war, it was home to collective farm workers. In the late 1960s, the building was slightly reconstructed, with a large hall added on the L-shaped floor. Initially, it was a shop, but later, it served as a community center where balls were held. On the other side of the building, renovated rooms hosted a midwife and nurse’s station for nearly 30 years, where Daile Kuncīte worked as a feldsher, and she is still remembered fondly by the people of Virga. From the early 1980s until 1988, the building also housed the post office.

The horse stable has not been used for over 100 years. A stream from a spring has always flowed through it, and the spring still exists today. From 2004 to 2006, the stable was used for growing oyster mushrooms by a biologist who had started living there. The building now has new owners, and the spring has not been restored since 1996.

Virgas Manor Park

Today, the shaded Virgas Manor park was not always like this. Once, small yellow forest tulips and many roses bloomed here. The manor had many roses, not just in the park. In the small pond at the park’s edge, the baroness enjoyed boating. At the western edge of the park is an unusual burial place for the last Virgas barons, where a black marble bench in a semicircular shape offers a view of one of the seven ponds of the old manor, creating a special atmosphere that still reminds us of the boundary between different times and worlds.

The Boot of Swedish King Charles XII

Many stories are associated with Swedish King Charles XII. Some of them are false, invented, or embellished. However, the story that the Swedish king lost his boot during the Battle of Spilve, only for it to later be found in Virga, is absolutely true!

In 1701, Charles XII decided to spend the winter at Virgas Manor. (This was no coincidence, as Christopher Ernst von Nolde, who was managing Virgas Manor at the time, was the quartermaster of the Swedish Army—an officer rank). The entire Swedish army’s general staff and military chancellery were based there. In a letter to his sister, Princess Ulrika Eleonora, King Charles XII wrote that the weather in Virga was very unpleasant, unusually warm for the season, and there was thick fog, wind, rain, and muddy roads.

The Swedish king’s boot "rests" in Virgas Manor Park, where a comfortable resting place has been set up for both the local residents and visitors to Virga.

Virgas Mill Wall

The old manor’s windmill, built in the Dutch style, has become a symbol of Virga, located at the top of the highest hill in the area. The windmill was first mentioned in 1892, but it ceased operation in 1937. For safety reasons, the mill wall can only be viewed from the outside, and it is recommended to do so from a safe distance. We ask visitors not to touch or physically impact the structure. Let us preserve historical monuments.

Virgas Granary – The House of Virgas Traditions

+371 28708860 (Cultural Institution Manager)

In the building, the baron stored grains and pickled cabbage. In 1983, the granary was converted into a house of traditions, which serves as a cultural institution for the people of Virga, where cultural events are held, and traditions and celebrations are honored.