Manor · Ida-Viru County · Toila
Oru Palace Orro
The St Petersburg merchant Grigori Jelissejev had a 57-room palace built at the mouth of the Pühajõgi, designed by Gavril Baranovski. In 1935 it became the Estonian head of state’s summer residence. Retreating Red Army troops set it on fire in 1941 and it was destroyed.
Built / first recorded 1897–1899
Style Italian Neo-Renaissance
Condition Lost 1941
German name Orro Today
The palace is gone. Toila-Oru Park, its terraces and the views over the Pühajõgi valley remain.
Owners Jelissejev1897–1935 Eesti riik1935–1940 Good to know The palace and park reportedly cost five million gold rubles. In 1934 Jelissejev agreed to sell only to the Estonian state; it was President Päts’s summer residence in 1935–1940. The park was designed by Georg Kuphaldt, who also laid out Olustvere’s park. Photos through time 1908 · Oru Palace in Virumaa1930s · Oru Palace in the 1930s1930s · The Estonian Room in the president’s summer residence1930–1940 · Oru Palace, photographed by Carl Sarap1936–1940 · The president’s summer residence1937–1939 · View across the park after the rebuilding1944 · The destroyed Oru Palacearchive · Oru Palace interior with furniture designed by O. Siinmaaarchive · Postcard: Oru Palacearchive · Postcard: the Oru Palace gardenarchive · Oru Palace, view of the west bank of the Pühajõgiarchive · Oru Palace, view from the main roadNearby
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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