Medieval castle · Pärnu County · Lääneranna
Lihula Castle Leal
In the early 1200s Lihula was one of the chief centers of western Estonia, and in 1220 the islanders of Saaremaa routed a Swedish army here. The stone castle was built jointly by the Bishop of Ösel-Wiek and the Livonian Order in 1238–1242: its high ring wall was split into two equal halves, with the gate and gate tower held by the bishop’s men. The castle was wrecked in the Livonian War and never rebuilt.
Built / first recorded 1238–1242
Style Gothic bishop’s and Order castle
Condition Wrecked in the Livonian War
German name Leal Today
On Castle Hill, part of the castle’s foundations has been excavated and conserved.
Owners Saare-Lääne piiskopkond1238–1560 Liivi ordu1238–1560 Rootsi1563–17. saj Good to know In 1211 Lihula was planned as the seat of the Bishop of Estonia. In 1220 the islanders crushed a Swedish army at Lihula; Henry of Livonia says almost 500 Swedes fell. In 1298 the Order captured the castle and took Bishop Konrad I prisoner. Photos through time 1683 · Lihula Castle on a 1683 map1800s · The castle ruins drawn by Carl Faehlmannarchive · Lihula Castle, the excavated outer defensesarchive · Lihula Castle Hill2011 · The castle ruins, 20112011 · The castle wall, 20112017 · Castle Hill, 2017Nearby
The buildings are stylized impressions, not surveyed models. Facts: mois.ee, Museum of Estonian Architecture, ERR, Wikipedia. Photos: MuIS and Wikimedia Commons, credited with each photo.
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