Currently Rauna Pastor’s Manor houses social care and rehabilitation centre “Pansija Rauna”. The ancient origins of this place are confirmed by the fact that there are burials of late iron age and a medieval cemetery with a cross stone, which is an archaeological monument of local significance.
The first news on Rauna Pastor’s Manor date back to Vidzeme plough audit of 1601. From 1658 to 1664, pastor Jānis Reiters (1632 – 1695/97) lived at Rauna Pastor’s Manor. He was a Lutheran pastor of Latvian origin in Vidzeme, a polyglot, a linguist and a translator. He published the Lord’s Prayer in 40 languages, as well as translated a section of Bible into Latvian.
Most probably, Rauna Pastor’s Manor was destroyed during the Great Northern War, because it is known that the building was rebuilt in 1718. On 27 November 1726, Rauna Pastor’s Manor burnt down, but a new residential building was built of fresh logs in summer of the same year, which resulted in poor condition of the building already by 1740.
From 1791 to 1793, during the term of office of pastor Johann Gotthard Langhevics, a new two-storied pastor’s residential house was made of stone, which can partially be observed today as well. It was rebuilt several times since then, however, it has not lost its attraction. Not far from the residential house, a unique 18th century barn building with a porch arcade is situated, as well as the house of a manager or a tenant, which was built in a classicism style.
During the Battle of Cēsis, on 22 June 1919, Estonian army hit the buildings of Rauna Pastor’s Manor, where the headquarters of Landeswehr was stationed, with incendiary bombs. A fire broke out and destroyed 10 out of 16 buildings of Rauna Pastor’s Manor. The archive of the church was saved from fire by Elza Margarēta Jende (1877-1967), the wife of Rauna pastor Ādams Jende, who later became famous as a notable ethnographer and the librarian of Riga Latvian Society.
The complex of buildings of Rauna Pastor’s Manor lost its historical purpose in 1944. In 1945 a nursing home for the elderly was organised here. It was closed in spring 2015 by moving residents to other nursing homes. Thanks to the persistence of Rauna congregation, the nursing home was reopened already in autumn 2015 and it started operating as a social care and rehabilitation centre “Pansija Rauna” of the foundation Diaconia Centre of Rauna Evangelical Lutheran Church.
On 11 June 1959, Rauna and Rauna Parish Collective Farm “Sarkanais Oktobris” (Red October) were visited by the leader of the Soviet Union Nikita Khrushchev (1894 – 1971) and the First Secretary of the governing party of the German Democratic Republic – Socialist Unity Party of Germany – Walter Ulbricht (1893 – 1973).
The exact purpose of the visit of the high officials is unknown, but a visit to the collective farm “Sarkanais Oktobris” (Red October) seems to be the most plausible version, since the collective farm demonstrated good results in the context of the republic and had strong tradition in the care for breed animals and in milk production. In 1957, the collective farm participated in the Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy in Moscow, demonstrating the breed animals grown at the collective farm. Meanwhile Rauna village choir represented Soviet Latvia at the Decade of Latvian Literature and Art in Moscow in late 1955.
The stories of local residents show that they were most impressed by the preparations for the acceptance of high visitors. Facades of houses and fences were painted in Rauna and along the road from Riga to Rauna, new earth roads were filled, new motorways were built, as well as scaffolds were built around the ruins of the village to imitate the process of reconstruction. The premises of the hospital were renewed, fresh bed linens and pottery were issued o patients. Meanwhile the tables of the festive meal were filled with specialities brought from Riga, which were not available at local shops.
Rauna cemetery was consecrated on 29 June 1773, when pastor Michael Wurm was in office. Land plots for the needs of the cemetery were gifted by the owner of Rauna Castle Manor – Count Grigory Orlov (1734–1783). Before that, the cemetery was situated next to Rauna Church.
Several notable people have been buried at Rauna Cemetery and a considerable number of artistically valuable gravestones and metal crosses can be found there. One of the pioneers of modern pharmacy and the founders of modern bacteriology in Russia Kārlis Krēsliņš (1860-1929), whose memorial stone is made in Art Nouveau style by sculptor Gustavs Šķilters, is buried at Rauna Cemetery. The pastor of Rauna congregation, teacher and author of textbooks Ādams Jende (1861-1918) is buried at the cemetery. His memorial stone has been made by sculptor Kārlis Zemdega. A merchant Pēteris Rimša (1853-1908), whose memorial stone was made by sculptor Gustavs Šķilters, is also buried at the cemetery.
The first Rauna Lutheran congregation pastor, Latvian, Krišjānis Dzirne (1829 – 1896), Baltic German pastor Michael Wilhelm Wurm (1715-1795), the Head of Cēsis Teachers’ Society, a teacher awarded with the Order of the Three Stars Pēteris Neijs (1862-1935), author of multiple Christian books and Rauna congregation pastor Arvīds Treicis (1902-1944), who died during the World War II, physician of Rauna Rūdolfs Skaidrais (1882-1954) and his wife, physician, Elza Skaidrā (1900-1989), radio industrialist, founder of the factory “A.Apsītis un E.Žukovskis” Aleksandrs Apsītis (1907-1988), Rauna congregation school teacher and active social figure Eduards Auka (1871-1941), holder of the Military Order of Lāčplēsis – Artūrs Milnis (1900-1941), Pēteris Sautiņš (1891-1968), Jānis Zvirbulis (1896-1938), decriptor of the handwritings of Rainis and Aspazija – Aina Leite (1922-2005), graphic artist, painter and the author of “Raunas miniatūras” (Rauna Miniatures) Indulis Gurtiņš (1925 – 1991), famous psychotherapist Jānis Zālītis (1933-2007), historian and researcher of Rauna history Sarma Ruska (1941-2010), biology scientist Milda Krūklande (1909-2002), sculptor Biruta Grīsle (1927 – 2004) are also buried at the cemetery, as well as family graves of the owners of Baižkalns Manor Estate – Zuckerbecker family.
The oldest grave cross found at the cemetery with flat decoration in flower shape at the tips of the cross has been installed for people, who died in 1825 – 1834. Several other artificially valuable forged metal objects – three large – 2-3 m high crosses, 118 crude iron crosses of different type, 14 crude iron benches, 5 crude iron lace fences, 7 crude iron chain fences, etc. In 2000, a monument for the victims of Red terror was installed at Rauna Cemetery.
The cemetery of Soviet army soldiers, who died during the World War II were created after the World War II from the funds of Rauna Parish collective farm “Sarkanais oktobris” (Red October). A total of 220 Soviet army soldiers, who died during the World War II in the battle for Sigulda. In 1944, no battles were fought in Rauna Parish, however, injured soldiers from the vicinity of Sigulda were brought here. The injured were stationed at Rauna School building, where a military hospital was equipped, as well as at the private houses of local residents and Rauna Hospital.
It is known that the monument that is present at the cemetery today is not the monument that was installed originally. According to the description of the monument that was drawn up in the 70s of the 20th century, it is known that the initially installed monument was smaller in terms of size and the following inscription was made on the monument in Latvian and Russian: “Glory to heroes, who died for our Soviet homeland”. There were 11 memorial plaques with the names of the deceased soldiers in the cemetery. The photographs made in the 70s of the 20th century demonstrate that the appearance of the monument was radically different from the monument that we can see today, however, it is not known exactly when the replacement of the monument took place.
The tower of Rauna Castle ruins has preserved to date with a series of architectural elements thereof, which could seem interesting for the visitors of the tower. The tower was built after the construction of the external walls of the main block. The second and the third floors of the tower could be accessed through a intermediate passage built in the walls fo the tower. Tower window sites and window sizes were considerably transformed as time passed. Traces of interior finishing can be seen at one of the window openings – traces of multiple colour painting. The floors of the tower were heated with fireplaces, as evidenced by the chimney canals preserved in the walls. Initially, the ceiling of the tower was made in the shape of brick arches, it was later replaced with wooden ceiling. The premises themselves were also partitioned to be smaller. At several sites of the tower the evidence of arch construction is detectable, fragments of plastering can be seen on the walls. It is important to note that the wooden structures built in early 21st century do not reflect the initial levels of tower floors.
Sections of two intermediate passages have been preserved at Rauna Castle. Intermediate passages were built in the masonry of the castle to ensure mobility between the blocks of the castle or in the tower. These were passages between two walls, where one of the walls was the external wall and the other – the internal wall. One of the intermediate passages at Rauna Castle ruins is situated in the main tower of the castle and connects the first floor to the second floor. A section that led from the second floor to the third floor is also partially seen. The second preserved section of the intermediate passage is situated in the external wall of the south-east block and served to access the Southern building of the castle, as well as the third or defensive floor. Few intermediate passages have preserved at the castles of Latvia, because they rank among the most fragile structures in the masonry. Walls of the intermediate passages are comparatively thin, therefore, at the moment, when the castle loses its roof, the sections of intermediate passages are first to be destroyed.
At the time, when the castle was used for residential purposes, the walls of Rauna Castle were plastered with lime plastering. The layer of plaster over the stones that were slightly projecting above the level of the wall was the thinnest, therefore it was lost first. In other places, the plastering is well preserved. The amount of plastering that has been preserved to date is really impressive. The colour of plaster differed depending on the times, when the castle was inhabited. Initially it was of light colours, later it became grey and brownish, meanwhile, in the 17th century, a plaster of red colour was used. Historical sources contain information that, in one of the premises on the second floor, all archbishops of Riga have been painted on the plastered wall. In Middle Ages, this tradition was practiced at the residences of high level authorities (bishops, archbishops, masters).
During the active period of Rauna Castle use, it was heated with stoves. It is evidenced by several smoke channel sites preserved in the walls of the castle, which had been built inside. Fireplaces or stoves were placed in the corners of the premises and were connected to the masonry wall on two sides. Multiple evidence on the use of stoves and fireplaces have been collected during archaeological research, where fragments of glazed tiles have been found and, in one case, the restoration of a stove tile to the condition that demonstrates how it looked in the 17th century was successful. Archaeological research was not performed at the first floor and cellar of the main blocks of the castle, therefore it cannot be stated exactly that the main premises of the second floor of Rauna Castle were heated by using hypocaust heating system typical of Middle Ages. Presumably, such system could have existed, because traces of smoke channels are seen in the walls of the main blocks, which proceed from the cellar to the level of the third floor. The hypocaust system was operated by means of the stove that was built on the utility floor and there was a separate chamber over it, which was filled with boulders. When fire was built in the stove, the boulders heated up and the heat from them, through separate channels, entered the premises built on upper levels and, through hatches in the floors, heated them.