Dundaga Castle

The Castle tour is available with a guide or companion from Dundaga Tourist Information Center. For larger groups, advance registration is mandatory and recommended for others.

Opening hours:
From May 15 to October 15
Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri: 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM and 12:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Sat, Sun: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

From October 15 to May 15
Only on weekdays, with advance notice at least one day in advance!

Castle tour: Adults – €3.00, students, disabled – €0.85.

Dundaga Castle is the largest in Northern Kurzeme and is remarkably well-preserved. Built in the mid-13th century by the Riga Cathedral Chapter, it was purchased by the Bishop of Courland in 1434 and belonged to the Maidel and Ostenzaken families from the 16th to the 20th centuries. The castle has undergone multiple fires and reconstructions, with the most recent one after the 1905 burning. The castle is associated with many legends, the most famous being the one about the Green Lady.

Today, Dundaga Castle serves as a venue for grand celebrations, weddings, tours, comfortable accommodation, and is a place of undiscovered opportunities and revelations. It houses an Art and Music School and a weaver’s workshop. Dundaga Castle becomes especially mysterious during the Legend Nights celebration at the end of October.

One of the exhibition rooms features a gallery of the castle’s former owners and a small display with photos and drawings depicting various stages of the castle’s construction.

On the first floor of the castle, there is a permanent exhibition titled “Crocodile Nest” about Arvīds Blūmentāls (1925–2006), a popular local, former crocodile hunter, and opal racer in Australia, known worldwide as the prototype for the film “Crocodile Dundee”, which is more popular globally under the name of Crocodile Harry.

In the Castle’s Vaulted halls, there is a permanent Medal Exhibition created in 2008 in collaboration with the Latvian Medal Art Club. The exhibition includes works by artists such as Jānis Strupulis, Jānis Mikāns, Vija Mikāne (1937–2004), Antra Urtāne, Inese Nātriņa and other artists, as well as gifts presented to the authors by foreign artists. The exhibition also features several medals dedicated to outstanding residents of Dundaga.