The history of the Rucka manor is long and old – it was first mentioned in historical documents in 1577, as part of the land owned by the mayor of Cēsis, Sebastian Detmer (also Ditmer and Detman in other sources), and at that time it did not yet bear the name Rucka. It got its name in the so-called Polish times, when in 1584 the manor came into the possession of the Pole Rucka, and it is his surname, despite many changes of owners and attempts to rename the manor after his own name, that has taken root and remained unchanged.
The manor, which the locals used to walk with a detour
The owners of Rucka manor have been socially active at different times, as well as with an agricultural business approach. Agricultural exhibitions, theater performances and other activities have taken place in the manor park, but the manor house itself has never been publicly accessible – the manor’s wide potential to be a place where social life is bubbling has never been fully utilized.
However, it must be said – neither the manor park, nor the manor building itself, in the last days of the free state and also long before that, was not the most popular place to walk and relax from the fast pace of everyday life, where to draw inspiration for a better life. Although the manor building is located in the geographical center of the city of Cēsis, for the most part the locals have been walking around it for many years. It is possible that tuberculosis is “guilty”, because until 2005, the children’s tuberculosis hospital “Cēsis” was located here. Consequently, the myth of such a “forbidden” territory was rooted in the society.
New times are beginning in Rucka
Until the autumn of last year, an art residence center operated in the Ruckas manor, managed by the foundation “Ruckas Art Foundation”, but last year the lease was acquired by the association “Live Latvija”. Cēsnieks Renārs Sproģis, who is known as a patriot of Latvia and Cēsis, the founder of the “Live Latvija” society, and whose experience is managing an estate in Kurzeme, last autumn obtained the right to manage the Rucka estate, seeing in it an opportunity to create a meeting place for everyone who is close to Latvia – its culture, its economy, its books and fields.
Renāras Sproģis says: “For me, as a part of today’s society, as a son, as a husband, as a father, the Latvian nation, its culture, traditions and work ethic are very important, so I want to preserve all this not only as descriptions in books and old newspaper columns, but also in real life. Rucka manor is just one of the support points where I really want to merge everything connected with Latvianness. I want to be an example to my children, so I have started to restore the manor together with the team, bringing life and creative spirit to it. The manor is not just a building – it is a place to get inspiration, create ideas, enjoy art and culture, try new works and involve as many people as possible in everything. I want every feeling here to belong and fit in.”
The door is open, but the work has only just begun
When asked about his plans for the future, Renars reveals what has already been done: “I am glad that we are able to work in several directions at the same time – we know that it will take many years to finish the renovation of the interior and facade of the manor building, so we are doing everything at the same time – repairing and building, including restoring the ancient stairs and the ceiling of the veranda, we arrange the rooms so that they are cozy and you can feel the special aura of the manor, we create a library of Latvian writers’ works from scratch, we organize events intended for different audiences, including children.” Read more about events at Rucka manor here.
Grandiose plans for the future, including the integration of the Latvian traditional agricultural sector into the everyday life of the manor, hospitality services, wedding stops, lodgings. See you at Rucka Manor!
Karina Jurciņa
Cesis Museum
