Creatures of Kolga No. 1

Creatures of Kolga is dedicated to Count Eric Stenbock, the former owner of Kolga Manor, and his imprint on local folklore. Eric Stenbock (1860–1895) was a British and Baltic-German writer and poet known for his decadent stories, which included veiled homoerotic vampire fiction. Born and raised in England, Stenbock spent most of his life there. However, after inheriting Kolga Manor from his grandfather, he moved to Estonia, where he stayed for only a few years, struggling to adapt to the provincial lifestyle. Despite his brief time in Estonia, Stenbock’s peculiar lifestyle, eccentric manners, and strange hobbies made a lasting impression on the locals. His miniature zoo, for instance, included a monkey, a parrot, as well as wolf and bear cubs. He was also known for startling dinner guests by revealing a serpent hidden in his dinner jacket. To this day, many legends about a mad and unusual landowner in Kolga remain associated with Eric Stenbock.