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In 1738 the volume of work in undāle decreased, as construction works of Jelgava Palace began.
Some of the produced components were also taken to Jelgava. However, the works were moving
forward – chimneys and room arches were being built, roofs were being finished. From 14 June,
when the construction of the main residence in Jelgava began, the construction works in undāle
were moving at a slower pace. Master carpenter Eger had finished oak-wood panels for 33 rooms,
as well as 13 oak-wood parquet floors. Ceilings boards were put up in the rooms, so that the
plastering works could be started. In September the carpenters started working on the outside
staircases. The construction of the gate tower was also started.

Entwurf von astrelli: die Nordfassade des Schlosses undāle mit dem Torturm
astrelli’s design, nothern facade of the palace with the gate tower

In 1739 the interior plastering works were supposed to be carried out, but the Duke ordered to
decrease the amount of plasterers and to simplify the work. Stucco formations were made only for
the main staircase rooms and halls, the other rooms were left with smooth ceilings. Only ten
craftsmen were working in undāle. On 1 February after the order of Empress of ussia Anna
Ioannovna all of the Saint Petersburg Construction Office masons were sent to Courland. The
components made for undāle, including carved doors, panels, parquet, Austrian potter stoves,
plafonds painted on canvas and cast-iron facade decorations made by Bartolomeo Tarsia that can
be seen in the Jelagava Palace facade, were transported to the main residence in Jelgava. N.
Vasilyev assisted Rastrelli in managing the construction works. Russian chamberlain Ernst Johann
von Buttlar was in charge of finances and organisation and he was sending reports to Saint
Petersburg regarding the work process.

Die gusseisernen Fassadenverzierungen
Cast-iron decorations of the facade
In 1740 the woodcut altar of the palace church was transported to Jelgava. Supposedly the room
decoration in the palace had been finished, but not all of the wall panels had been mounted and
some of the stoves were also not set up, as a lot of the materials were in storage.
Work was stopped after the palace revolution of 20 November in Russia and the arrest and exile of
Duke Ernst Johann. The prepared finishing materials and construction components were sent to
Saint Petersburg, and some of the built-in components, such as doors, wall panels and parquet,
were broken.
Overall more than a thousand different profession craftsmen and workers were employed in the
construction works of the palace.