Jelgava Palace

Jelgava Palace is an 18th-century Baroque palace in the centre of Jelgava, Latvia, built as the ducal residence for the Dukes of Courland. It is one of the largest Baroque palaces in the Baltic region.

The palace complex includes a long main façade and a central courtyard used for exhibitions and public events. Inside and around the palace visitors can view restored rooms, occasional museum displays and the exterior architectural ensemble that dominates Jelgava’s town centre.

Construction began in the mid-18th century for the ducal court and the design is attributed to the period’s leading Baroque architects. The building suffered severe damage during World War II and underwent major reconstruction works in the postwar decades.

The palace sits in central Jelgava on the flat Zemgale plain, about 40 km southwest of Riga. It is immediately accessible from the town’s main streets and is a focal point of Jelgava’s urban layout.

• Scale: Often described as the largest Baroque palace in the Baltic states, occupying a prominent position in central Jelgava.
• Use today: Extensively damaged in World War II and rebuilt in the second half of the 20th century; the complex now houses university facilities and museum exhibitions.