Ungru Castle Ruins

Ungru was begun in 1893 by Count Ewald von Ungern-Sternberg, who set out to build a copy of Merseburg palace in Saxony, reportedly to persuade a woman to marry him. The shell was raised, elaborate in brick and limestone with pilasters, pediments and window surrounds, but the count died in 1901 and the building was never finished or roofed. It was used as a quarry for material, then stood as a shell through the Soviet period when the surrounding land was a military area. What remains is a substantial roofless structure of two storeys with vegetation growing through it, unfenced and unmanaged, standing in overgrown parkland with no signage.

What you actually see

• The roofless shell - the unfinished neo-baroque structure.
• Carved detailing - the pilasters and window surrounds still in place.
• The overgrown park - the grounds returning to woodland.
• Interior spaces - the open rooms with trees growing inside.

When to go

May to September for the approach and the light; the ruin is accessible year round with no gate. Early morning or evening light suits photographs. Snow makes the tracks difficult.

Honest expectations

The structure is unstable, unfenced and unlit, with falling masonry a genuine hazard, and entering carries real risk. There is no signage, staff or facility. The access track is rough. It is a ruin, not a managed site.

Nearby

Haapsalu lies east; Noarootsi is north across the bay.