Bauska

Bauska (Bauske in German, Bauskė in Lithuanian, Bowsk in Polish) is a 9,411 inhabitants town in confluence of rivers Mūsa and Mēmele, forming Lielupe River, in the historic Latvian region of Semigallia. The town is near to the famous Rundāle Palace, one of the major destinations of Latvia.

How do I arrive to Bauska?

  Bauska is a town quite close to Riga and even though there's no direct train, it's well communicated. 

• Train: the nearest station is in Jelgava. There are often trains from Riga (aprox. 45 minutes) for 1.90€ to Jelgava train station.
• Bus: there are 2 or 3 buses every hour from Riga (aprox. 1.5 hours) to Bauska and also from Jelgava to Bauska. From Bauska there are buses every hour to Rundāle Palace.
• Car: having a car Bauska can be reached on a short journey from Jelgava (aprox. 50 minutes), from Dobele (aprox. 1 hour) or Riga (aprox. 1 hour). The town is close to the border with Lithuania so it can be reach visited from Biržai (aprox. 40 minutes) or from Šiauliai (aprox. 1 hour 15 minutes).

History

Bauska territory was inhabited by Semigallians tribes before15th century, when Bauska castle was built by Germans of the Livonian Order, who then were a part of the Terra Mariana confederacy. The town received city rights around 1609 and after the Livonian War, Bauska became part of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia. The castle was damaged in the 17th and 18th century due to the Polish-Swedish War and Great Northern War (in 1706 the Russians blow up te castle). During the Napoleonic Wars, Bauska was one of Napoleon army's transit points en route to Moscow. In the 19th century most of the population were Baltic Germans but since 1850, Jewish outnumbered them (they were more or less the half of the population). The town was taken by the German Empire during WW1 and then occupied by the Red Army during Latvian War of Independence. From 1919 to 1945 the population of Latvians grew a lot (75%, but still with important Baltic Germans and Jewish population). Baltic Germans were repatriated before WW2 and Jews, exterminated during Holocaust. During the Operation Bagration Soviet army reached Bauska and conquered it. Post-war reconstruction was slow and in this period both Latvian and Russian (specially the latter) population grew.

 

What can I visit in Bauska?

Bauska is a town with some nice places and a perfect point to set the visit to Rundāle Palace. Moreover Bauska has a very nice Old Town that is worth to be walked.

These are Bauska's main attractions:

• Bauska Castle (9-19 from May to Oct; 11-17 Tue-Sun from Nov to Apr; 4€/ 2€  adults/ kids; taking pictures costs 1.50€): complex with two castles, the oldest one are the ruins of a 13th century Livonian Order fortress, used as border saveguard, in the junction of the rivers Mūsa and Mēmele. The newest one was the residence of the Dukes of Courland, built in the 16th century in Renaissance and Mannerism architecture, now hosting expositions about the Duchy of Courland.
• Bauska Town Hall: 17th century building built after Bauska was given town rights under Duke Friedrich of Kurzeme. Nowadays it has Bauska Touristic Office and there are tours to the town hall.
• Bauska Museum (10-18 Tue-Sun and 10-16 Sat-Sun from May to Oct; 10-17 Tue-Fri and 10-16 Sat-Sun from Nov to Apr; 1.40€/ 0.70€  adults/ students and kids): museum placed in the former most luxurous hotel in the town with expositions about 20th century in Bauska, dolls and toys and the Folk Decorative Arts Studio.
• Bauska Motor Museum (10-18; 10€/ 5€  adults/ retiree, students and kids): former Soviet warehouse used nowadays as a museum considered the largest and most modern automotive history exposition in the Baltics with restored antique cars and rusty gems. It's a branch of Riga Motor Museum.
• St. Gara Lutheran Church: 16th century church built for the German congregation with nice art monuments like the benches or the altar. 
• Rabbit Village (9-21 from May to Sep; 3€/ 2.50€  adults/ students): small sightseeing place with a set-up town with more than 35 species of rabbits. It's located on the outskirts of Bauska.

Bauska Castle

Bauska Town Hall

Rundāle Palace

Near Bauska there are some very nice palaces. Going 12 km west appears the village of Rundāle Palace (10-18 from May to Oct; 10-17 from Nov to Apr; 8-17:30 rest of the year; long route 10€/ 7€/ 3.50€  adults/ students/ kids; short route 8€/ 6€/ 2€  adults/ students/ kids), 18th century Baroque palace built for Ernst Johann von Biron (who was the lover of former Duchess of Courland and later Empress Anna of Russia) by Bartolomeo Rastrelli. It's used for the accommodation of leaders of foreign nations and has wonderful French gardens (10-18 May-Oct). In the area there's another palace, Mežotne Palace (3.50€/ 3€  adults/ retiree and students), 18th-19th century Neoclassic style palace built for Charlotte von Lieven, tutor of Empress Catherine II of Russia's grandchildren. It's not very expensive and spending a night there is a great experience. In front of the palace there's Mežotne Hillfort, 9th-13th century fortification of Semigallians.

Where can I eat in Bauska?

Most of the nicest places to eat in Bauska are near to Rundāle Palace, like Baltā māja and Grāfs, both in Pilsrundāle.

Posted in: Europe,Latvia