The Estonian Center for Defense Investments (RKIK) has sold the Seli manor complex at auction. The new owner plans to preserve the manor estate and find a suitable use for it.
The Estonian Center for Defense Investments (RKIK) sold the Seli manor complex in Rapla County at auction for €380,000, the starting price.
The Seli Manor property came under RKIK's management in 2019 when the Seli Health Center ceased operating as an independent institution and was merged with the Estonian Defense Forces. As the health center relocated to Raadi in Tartu, there was no longer a need to use the manor complex and it was put up for sale, RKIK media relations specialist Andra Nõlvak told ERR.
The complex was purchased by Eksfisk, whose owner, Maria Peetri, told ERR that the company views Seli Manor primarily as a long-term development project.
"The first priority, once the transaction is finalized, is to properly take over the manor complex, gain a comprehensive overview of the buildings' technical condition and initially focus on the work needed to preserve the property," she said.
Going forward, the new owner hopes to find a use and development strategy for the complex that will allow the historic manor estate to be preserved and gradually brought back into active use.
"It is still too early to announce more specific plans, as some matters require design work, planning reviews and approvals. This is not a project we want to rush through, but a long-term development where we want to do things in the right order," Peetri said.
Peetri added that although the auction has ended, the notarized sale transaction has yet to take place.
Eksfisk, which operates Peetri Lõheäri, is engaged in the retail and wholesale sale of fish products. The company posted a profit of €330,000 last year, compared with nearly €280,000 the previous year. According to its annual report for last year, the company had more than €1 million in retained earnings.
The manor complex includes the main building and several outbuildings, including servants' quarters and a hydrotherapy facility.
The earliest records of Seli Manor date back to 1474. The first buildings were wooden structures with straw or reed roofs, none of which have survived. The first limestone buildings at Seli Manor were not constructed until the mid-to-late 18th century. Of these, the manor house or main building, the estate manager's house and the horse stable remain standing today.
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