Suuremõisa Castle
Estonia has several places named Suuremõisa (Manor). Hiiu-Suuremõisa (Dago-Grossenhof) is located in the eastern part of Hiiumaa Island in Pühalepa Parish, 6 km from Heltermaa Port, 18 km from Kärdla, and 16 km from Hiiessaare Airport. Hiiu-Suuremõisa is one of the most magnificent Baroque-style manor ensembles in Estonia. Today, the manor houses the Hiiumaa Vocational School and Suuremõisa Kindergarten-Primary School.
The exact founding date of the manor is unknown. During the Middle Ages, the Pühalepa area of Hiiumaa belonged to the Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order. Suuremõisa was first mentioned in 1519 as the Pühalepa Order Manor.
In September 1563, when Hiiumaa came under Swedish rule, the manor became the property of the Swedish king.
In the 17th century, the manor was referred to both as Pühalepa Manor (Hoff Pöhilepp) and Suuremõisa (Grossenhof).
Most of Hiiumaa, including Suuremõisa, was in the hands of the De la Gardie noble family in the 17th century. After the Great Northern War, it became a leasehold manor under the Russian Crown. From 1755 to 1796, the owners were the Stenbocks, followed by the Ungern-Sternbergs, who held it until 1919, when the Republic of Estonia nationalized the manors.
The current manor house was built between 1755 and 1760 by Countess Ebba Margaretha Stenbock, replacing an older single-story manor house with vaulted cellars and a plank roof. Traces of the older structure can still be seen in some of the cellar vaults. The manor is said to imitate one of the countess’s childhood castles in Sweden. The design is likely by Joseph Gabriel Destain, with Peter Opel as the master builder. After the central part was completed, Empress Elizabeth Petrovna of Russia visited the manor in 1760 or 1761.
In 1772, single-story wings were added, forming an honor courtyard in front of the manor. The house had 64 rooms.
The manor had underground passages, one leading to Pühalepa Church and another reaching the “Snake Cellar” about 1.5 km away.
The buildings were constructed from local limestone. Peasants were conscripted from up to 30 km away, and legend says that stones were passed hand-to-hand in a human chain from the Hilleste quarry. The estate had its own carpentry, locksmith, and blacksmith workshops, as well as a lime kiln and brickworks.
The manor is topped by a massive hipped roof. The ridge is crowned by four sturdy chimneys with cornices; originally, the house also had a mansard floor. The clock faces on the front and rear façades remain intact today—the chimes could be heard as far as Kärdla in calm weather.
The front and rear façades feature grand stone staircases, 10 meters wide, allowing carriage access. The front terrace was a grand staircase surrounded by vases, pedestals, and statues. The rear staircase was similarly adorned. Cannons once stood on these steps. The central axis of the front façade is marked by an oak door with Baroque carvings.
Originally, the interior layout was strictly symmetrical. Later renovations altered this, particularly in the eastern wing.
Some of the current interior architecture dates to the early 1920s when the manor was owned by Dorothea (Dolly) von Stackelberg.
Notable surviving elements include a grand carved oak staircase in the vestibule with dolomite flooring.
The first floor housed the family’s living quarters. The lord’s rooms were on the right side of the main staircase, while the lady’s chambers were on the left, facing the park. Her bedroom had a hidden door behind a carved wardrobe—still preserved today.
Other attractions on the first floor include tiled stoves, parquet floors, and a ceiling painting in the former dining hall with the inscription: “He who is diligent and pious in his work, the Lord God will set his table.” Fragments of this painting remain in the basement hall.
The left wing housed the estate clerk and office, while the right wing was for the steward.
The second-floor hall features stucco decorations. To the left of the staircase were guest rooms and salons; to the right were children’s and tutors’ quarters.
The attic held summer rooms and, at times, servants’ lodgings. Hidden compartments between floors were rumored to store pirate loot, as described by writer Aitsam.
The cellar contained storerooms and servants’ quarters. Legend says hoofbeats heard here foretold a family member’s death.
The manor is shrouded in ghost stories—voices, apparitions, and the spirit of a murdered Captain Malmi. A benign female ghost also roams the halls.
One tale tells of Pastor Johann Chalenius (1741–1776) exorcising a demon: he split an apple, placed half on a table, and held the other to his chest. When the halves flew together, he banished the evil spirit with prayers and crosses on every door and window.
