Description of the attraction
Palmse Manor is located in the heart of Laachemaa National Park. This manor differs from Vihula manor, in which everything, if I may say so, is like a home, like a village. From Palmse, for all its beauty, it still exudes landlord snobbery, a desire not to deviate one iota from the rules of good taste.
In 1677, the Palmse estate was acquired by the von der Palen family, who owned it until 1925. Among this family there were those who went down in history as heroes, but there were also those who left a not very good memory of themselves. For example, Karl Magnus became a Mayor General at the age of 36; his portrait adorns the gallery of heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812 in the Hermitage. Whereas Peter Ludwig von der Palen, known to us as Peter Alekseevich Palen, who initially enjoyed great confidence in Emperor Paul I, later became a participant in the attempt on the life of this emperor.
The manor house that we see today was built at the end of the 17th century and rebuilt in 1785. After passing through the main manor gate, you will come to the central manor square. On both sides of the main building there is a stable - a carriage shed and a barn. The main building, made of stone, is two-story, according to tradition, it was divided into 2 halves: male and female. On the territory of the estate, there were about 20 buildings, the most luxurious was the greenhouse, which was very fashionable in the 19th century.
In the manor house, the atmosphere characteristic of that time has been restored, in addition, there is an exhibition dedicated to the history of the estate and the von Palen family. On the territory of the Palace Manor there is a souvenir shop located in the restored Kavalier's House, a collection of plants is located in the greenhouse, and there is also a hotel with conference rooms located in a building that once housed a wine factory. In addition, you can visit one of several restaurants and a wine cellar, which serves an excellent selection of noble drinks.
In the Palmse estate, you can visit the automobile museum, among the exhibits there is a black executive car by Alexandra Kollontai. You can walk in the park, the trails of which stretch for 12 km and pass by waterfalls and magnificent landscapes. In one of the rooms of the main house, there is a collection of antique clothes that you can not only touch with your hands, but also put on, and even walk in them.
Piles of stones are still preserved on the territory of Palmse Manor. During a crop failure, local landowners helped their peasants by offering them grain for food. The peasants, in gratitude, decided to clear the landowners' fields of stones. This is how these piles of stone were formed. There are also 13 boulders in the estate, which are 10 meters in diameter. According to legend, these are petrified devils who were frightened by the nuns who came to these places. However, in fact, the stones were brought here by continental ice from the vicinity of Vyborg.
