The Livonian Order built this castle on the south bank at the mouth of the Pärnu River, and it was first recorded in 1265. Its core was a four-winged brick convent house about 34 meters on a side, one of the smallest in Livonia, ringed by an outer bailey, walls and a moat. Beside it grew New Pärnu, which became a Hanseatic town. Under Swedish rule, from 1699 to 1710 the castle housed the Academia Gustavo-Carolina, forerunner of the University of Tartu.
Nothing of the castle stands above ground, but walls and archaeological layers survive beneath central Pärnu.
Owners
Liivi ordu1265–1560
Rootsi1617–1710
Vene impeerium1710–1917
Good to know
In 1451 five Order brothers lived in the castle with the Komtur.
From 1699 to 1710 the castle housed the Academia Gustavo-Carolina.
The so-called Elephant Granary of the outer bailey survived until World War II.
Photos through time
1554 · Pärnu in a picture of 1554 Unknown · Public domainarchive · Pärnu Order Castle, a drawing Pent Nurmekund · Eesti Rahva Muuseum, ERM K 5307 · CC BY-NC2006 · The site of the Order castle, 2006 Kotkasulg · CC BY-SA 3.0
