Rundāles Palace

Today we caught the bus from Bauska to Rundāles Palace.

It was designed by the architect Italian Francesco Ristrelli, who worked mostly in Russia and also designed the Winter Palace in St Petersburg.

It is also similar in style to Versailles and it has huge intricate gardens.

The Palace was completed in 1768 and had a very chequered history. It was almost destroyed in 1812 in the Franco Prussian war, at other times it was owned by Catherine the Great of Russia, then used as a grain store and early in the 1900s as a primary school.

Eventually it was given to the Latvian state who spent many years renovating it, and finally announced that they had finished in 2014.

It has many beautiful rooms, including at least two vase rooms where you go to appreciate the lovely vases and their plaster stands.

Another gorgeous room was the Rose room, decorated as you would expect.

I can't remember now what happened in the Rose room, and the numerous ones after it.

Duke Ernst Johann's bedroom was one of the most glamorous in the palace and had great views of the garden.

It was disappointing to discover that the Duchesses apartment was not nearly so grand, but she definitely got the best bathroom.

Unfortunately, we missed out the toilet which was a commode, the bath that was a strange shape with a rattan cover on the top, and a basin in the corner. Great ceiling though.

Outside was a knot garden and fountain.

It also had room for an outdoor amphitheatre and low rise maze.

On the way back we stopped of at the postcard viewing spot to take photos of Bauska castle.

The frame swivelled around to get the river too, although it was quite difficult to balance on.