Not far from Cēsis, nestled among green birches and dark spruces, at the crossroads of Ķingu, Pūpolu, and Vāveres streets, lies Dukuri Manor – a place with a rich and layered history that began in the early 17th century.
The manor's origins can be traced back to 1604, with a land grant confirmed in 1624 by King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden. At that time, three abandoned villages – Švika, Bucis, and Zābaks – were located here, managed by ministers Sīmanis Grotkovskis and Jānis Sutovs. It is believed that the land grant was related to Jan Karol Hodkiewicz's stay in Vidzeme, including Cēsis.In 1629, Gustav II Adolf granted these lands to Heinrich Lademacher, whose daughter Magdalena married the district judge Friedrich von Liephart. The von Liephart family, famous for their warlike spirit, was not without border disputes with Cēsis Castle Manor. These concluded in 1663 with a land exchange, expanding Dukuri Manor's territory with the villages of Brēžas, Babas, and Kaika, and granting access to Kaika Bay on the Gauja River.
Around 1682, a new building had already been constructed at Dukuri Manor, and the manor center was established. The manor also owned the Rāviņi or Rāvu tavern and a mill near Egerts village, of which only the dam remains today.
During the Great Northern War (1700–1721), Dukuri Manor suffered significant damage – people were taken captive, property was plundered, and the Rāva tavern was burned down. However, the manor managed to recover and continued to exist.
The manor changed owners over time. 1815. In 1815, it was acquired by Karl Friedrich von Sievers, Mayor of Cēsis (1760–1767). During the Sievers' era, the manor's population decreased, and in the early 19th century, only a few adult men lived there. This fact indicates that the manor owners no longer resided there permanently.In 1823, Dukuri Manor was sold for 12,800 rubles to Count Karl Gustav von Sievers, who later added it to the Cēsis Castle Manor estate. The manor center was rebuilt according to the 1836 plan.
The late 19th and early 20th centuries brought a new flourishing to Dukuri Manor. During this time, it was leased by prominent figures – Friedrich Nolje and later Kārlis Erdmanis, one of Cēsis's most active public figures. Erdmanis made significant contributions to the life of St. John's Church in Cēsis, the development of education, and the strengthening of the congregation.In 1909, a steam enterprise and a sawmill operated on the manor's territory, and the surrounding area with Lake Ninieris became a popular recreational spot.
After the Latvian agrarian reform, Dukuri Manor was divided into 33 new farms. The manor buildings were transferred to the Cēsis Forest District, which still manages the territory today as the Central Vidzeme Forest District.
Dukuri Manor remains a silent witness to history, its stories preserving the complex yet rich past of the Cēsis region – from royal privileges to the transformation of rural society.
The materials used for the description are:
Ilma Zālīte, Mg. hist. and Cēsis Rotary Club project "Tour of Cēsis Manors"From the collections of the Cēsis Castle Museum and Cēsis Central Library.
