Rundāle Palace is one of the most magnificent Baroque landmarks in the Baltic region and an undoubted highlight of any journey through Latvia. Designed in the 18th century by Bartolomeo Rastrelli, the same architect behind St Petersburg’s Winter Palace, Rundāle may be smaller in scale than its Russian counterpart but is no less elegant or majestic. Located in the rural Zemgale region, the palace can easily be visited on a rewarding day excursion from Riga.
Approached through orchards and ornate gates, Rundāle Palace rises unexpectedly from a landscape of farmland and small villages, creating a striking sense of arrival. Built as the summer residence of the Dukes of Courland, the palace is celebrated for its richly decorated interiors, where Baroque grandeur meets elaborate Rococo detail. Inside, meticulously restored 18th-century frescoes, intricate stucco work, ornate carvings and grand mirrors fill a sequence of lavish state rooms. Ceiling paintings depicting mythological figures add to the atmosphere of imperial excess and refinement.
Surrounding the palace is a beautifully restored French-style garden, with symmetrical avenues, fountains and formal flowerbeds that are particularly impressive in spring and summer. Often combined with a visit to nearby Bauska Castle, Rundāle Palace offers a captivating insight into Latvia’s aristocratic past and stands as one of the country’s most impressive cultural treasures.