VILJANDI ORDER CASTLE,
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05.11.2007

Viljandi order castle was erected on the site of an ancient Estonian castle. The Germans had besieged it in 1211 and conquered probably in 1217. In 1223 the castle was again in the hands of Estonians, but belonged to the Order of the Sword Brothers, together with Sakala, since 1224. The first stone castle was erected here in 1224 by the order master Volquin. At the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries a new castle was completed, which was in fact the first convent building in Estonia. The order castle was one of the biggest, mightiest and most important strongholds in Estonia where commanders had their residence. The north-west gate was safeguarded by a square seven-storey main tower known as Tall Hermann. The latter probably dated from the pre-convent period of the stone castle.

The rooms surrounding the inner courtyard (chapter house, refectory, dormitory, chapel, etc.) displayed an extraordinary abundance of high-quality sculptural decor of consoles, capitals, window and portal framings, all made of the Saaremaa dolomite.

Due to the onset of firearms the walls of the convent building were made higher in the middle of the 15th century. Embrasures for cannons were built on top of the wall.

The convent building was surrounded by fortifications and outer wards facing the town. The building of outer wards started as early as in the 13th century. This continued up to the Livonian War. The last fortification of the outer wards was probably the south-western cannon tower. In the time of peace the outer ward accommodated different household buildings. There were also stables for 100 horses and the garrison's barracks.

After a siege in 1560 the castle was conquered by the Russians who surrendered it to the Poles in 1582. Despite the destructions of the Livonian War the Viljandi order castle remained partially usable until the Great Northern War when it was destroyed beyond repair.

Viljandi ordulinnus rajati muistsete eestlaste linnuse asemele. Seda olid sakslased piiranud 1211. a. ja vallutanud arvatavasti 1217. a. 1223. a. oli linnus taas eestlaste valduses, kuid 1224 läks koos Sakalaga Mõõgavendade Ordu valdusse. Esimese kivist linnuse rajas siia aastal 1224 ordumeister Volquin. 13. ja 14. saj vahetusel valmis uus linnus, mis oli ühtlasi esimene Eesti alal püstitatud konvendihoone. See kujutas endast üht Eesti suuremat ja tugevamat kantsi, kus resideerisid komtuurid. Linnuse värav asus loodes ning oli turvatud nelinurkse seitsmekorruselise peatorni Pika Hermanniga. Viimane pärines arvatavasti konvendihoonele eelnenud kivilinnuse perioodist.

Erakordne on Saaremaa dolomiidist konsoolide, kapiteelide, akna- ja portaaliraamistuste rikkalik ning kõrgetasemeline raiddekoor, mida leidus siseõue ümbritsenud ruumides (kapiitlisaal, refektoorium, dormitoorium, kabel jt.).

15. saj. keskel, seoses tulirelvade pealetungiga, kõrgendati konvendihoone müüre. Müüriharjale rajati laskeavad kahuritele.

Konvendihoonet ümbritsesid kaitseehitised ning linna poole jäid eeslinnused, mida hakati rajama juba 13. saj. See töö jätkus Liivi sõjani. Viimase kaitserajatisena püstitati eeslinnustes tõenäoliselt edelanurga kahuritorn. Rahuajal olid eeslinnuste ehitised käsutusel majandushoonetena. Muude seas asusid seal sajale hobusele mõeldud tallid ja garnisoni kasarmu.

1560. a. vallutasid linnuse venelased, kes selle 1582. a. loovutasid poolakatele. Vaatamata purustustele jäi linnus osaliselt kasutamiskõlblikuks kuni Põhjasõjani, mil ta hävis lõplikult.

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