Rakvere Castle

About

Settled since the 9th century, Rakvere Castle was likely a wooden stronghold until the 13th century, when the Danes built a more modern stone structure. Over its long history, the castle was the center of many battles – 'Vere' literally means 'blood' in Estonian – squaring off against Ivan the Terrible and Peter the Great, and passing between German, Swedish, and Polish control. Today, the castle is inhabited by soldiers, craftsmen, and other medieval citizens to immerse visitors in history. Along with a visit to the museum, visitors can try their hand at archery, feel the heft of a medieval sword, step into the chilling torture chamber, sample local vodkas (chased with a pickle), or head down to the wine cellar to try the knights’ favorite drink: Malvasia wine. To see the castle’s full range of attractions, please visit http://rakverelinnus.ee/en