Over 800 Years of History
The earliest written source that refers to Vihula – Vyoll as it was then known – is dated 1501 and places ownership in the hands of a Danish baron named Hans von Lode.
Vihula Manor carries on over 800 years of history. Read more about magnificent history of Vihula Manor on this page.
1501 or eralier?
The earliest written source that refers to Vihula – Vyoll as it was then known – is dated 1501 and places ownership in the hands of a Danish baron named Hans von Lode. The Danish von Lodes were the oldest noble family in Estonia.
In the Estonian Knighthood, Archive survives a 16th-century document signed by the Bishop of Reval, as Tallinn was then known, confirming that the family’s ancestor, the Danish knight Odvard von Lode, accompanied King Canute VI of Denmark on his crusade against the pagan Estonians in 1197 and in return for his services to the Danish crown was granted large areas of land in northern Estonia.
Most probably Odvard von Lode has received the area around Vihula and established a manor already at the end of the 12th century and the history of Vihula Manor goes back more than 300 years prior to the first written source from 1501.
1531-1703
In 1531 the Weckebrod family became the owners of Vihula. In 1605 Ewert Weckebrod left Vihula to his daughter Brita who had married to Melchior von Helffreich. The Helffreich family, which descended from Württemberg in Germany, owned the manor for more than two centuries.
During the Great Nordic War (1700-1721) in September 1703 the manor and its surroundings were devastated and burnt. There is no information when it was rebuilt after the war. The oldest preserved building in the manor is the so-called Tagamõis (Back Manor). It was built in the second half of the 18th century. At that time this was the only stone building. All the other buildings were made of wood.
Alexander von Schubert
At the beginning of the 19th century, the economic situation of the owners was very difficult. They fell into debts and as a result, the manor was sold on an auction in 1809. On the 23rd of February 1810, Alexander von Schubert became the owner of Vihula.
Vihula was built up as it appears nowadays during the time of the von Schuberts. The historicist main building was completed in the 1880s, but mostly the buildings were built 1820-1840.
After WWI Vihula Manor was nationalized and was a state-owned estate between the two world wars. The von Schubert family remained at the estate until 1939 when the family left Estonia.
Renovations
The manor complex is 2008-2012 undergoing a complete and total restoration. The aim of the restoration is to preserve the historical heritage and protect the nature as much as possible and at the same time to give a modern functionality to the buildings and the area.
Historic Hotel of Europe 2020
Vihula Manor is named the best historic hotel in Europe
The historic 4* Superior Vihula Manor was awarded the distinguished title of the “Historic Hotel of Europe 2020” at the prestigious European Hotel Awards gala, which is a great honor for the local tourism landscape.
The European Hotel Awards (EHA) gala is an event held to recognize excellence in the hospitality sector.
The annual awards are handed out by the magazine Référence Hôteliers Restaurateurs to single out
the best of the best in the industry.
Other Awards
We have joined Green Key, an eco-label awarded to us for our efforts in protecting the environment and nature as part of our daily operations.
We wish all our employees, partners and guests to carry with them environment saving principles in all that they do. To help communicate our message, we organize an annual ‘Green Day’ to introduce nature-friendly activities in and around Vihula Manor Country Club & Spa. In this way, we hope to contribute to a cleaner future that lasts for all posterity.
Hiker-friendly company 2021
The “Hiker Friendly” sign informs all hikers that they are highly welcomed guests at Vihula Manor. Located in the middle of Lahemaa National Park, all guests can comfortably discover the beautiful nature of Northern Estonia. Read more about the recognition HERE.
Historical manor tours
Would you like to hear more about the history of Vihula Manor? 800 year includes even more love, heartache, death and foreign conquests.
Unique hotels
We have created historic manor tours, where we visit Vihula manor complex and tell thrilling stories of the manor and families that have lived there.
