...Traveling through Central Asia, I often thought that the grandeur of the mountains and the expanse of the steppes would not replace the most ordinary forest over a slow river. So now, after two months of break, I resume the story about Latvia. Past posts about this Baltic country - see the tag.

If the Western Dvina is such a "Latvian Dnieper", then the Gauja is here instead of the Dniester: main river Vidzeme, the longest in the territory of Latvia (since, unlike the Daugava, it flows along it from source to mouth) and is notable for its deep wooded valley. On the Gauja, fifty kilometers from Riga, stands Sigulda (11 thousand inhabitants) - perhaps the most picturesque Latvian town that grew up in the Middle Ages in the field of view of as many as three castles: the orderly Zigevold on the left bank, the episcopal Treiden (Turaida) and the capitular Kremen (Krimulda) on the right. Siegevold is usually translated as "forest of victories" - it was the first castle founded by the crusaders in the depths of the mainland (1207). About him, in general, about the left bank of Sigulda and about the kilometer cable car through the Gauja valley - in the first part.

The history of Sigulda is very typical for Latvia - the stormy and beautiful knightly Middle Ages, the transformation into a provincial village with a manor after the Livonian and Northern Wars, and finally the return of city status in 1928. The border of Sigulda is formed by the Riga-Pskov highway, from which it is about a kilometer to the railway station, about three kilometers to Sigulda Castle, and more than 6 to Turaida. railway completely unimpressive:

2.

The eye clings only to the little church on one of the side streets, which, upon closer inspection, turns out to be a typical remake:

3.

The border of the center can be considered a station on the former Pskov-Riga railway, which in 1886-89 connected Riga with St. Petersburg along the shortest route. Traffic here is not as active as on electrified lines near Riga, but still diesel runs every 2-3 hours:

4.

When I saw the station, I immediately admired - "what an excellent example of architecture of the First Republic of Latvia!", And most likely not even from the time of Ulmanis, but from the 1920s - you must admit, there is nothing like this in other countries of the former Union:

5.

It is all the more surprising that in fact it is Stalinka, which I refused to believe until I saw a photo of a real station in the 1920s. In general, with the dating of buildings, I regularly make mistakes in Latvia in this way, that is, in fact, the "architecture of the First Republic" lived even after its disappearance, right up to the Khrushchev era. The fabulous appearance of the old station at the station, then not even former city, probably indicates that Sigulda already then began to develop as a resort.

5a.

According to the new Latvian tradition, the station here is combined with a car port, buses to Riga run every hour and they get where it is more convenient.

6.

On the square - the local clock "Laima". So "Laima" is a well-known famous chocolate factory in Riga, and a similar clock is installed in the capital at the entrance to Old city near her company store. Why else one here - alas, I do not know.

7.

If you walk along the railway for about a kilometer towards Riga, you will come to the beauty and pride of Latvian sports, the luge and bobsleigh complex (1986), until recently the only one in the post-Soviet space. I got to him the other day, accompanied by renatar - the fact is that this complex was designed by her father, Viktor Rimsha.

8.

In general, as it turned out later, I saw three buildings of the authorship of Viktor Benediktovich, and I didn’t know about the other two - but I remember them. According to Renata, in modern Latvia they don’t really like to remember his contribution, and the authorship of the building is attributed either to the Yugoslavs (in fact, they carried out direct construction), or to the Germans from the GDR (they carried out technical calculations). The bobsleigh track here is unique in that from one point you can see its 7 turns:

9.

The track descends very beautifully into the Gauja valley, and it is not uncommon to see lugers practicing on it.

10.

Scheme of the track and bob - bobsleigh with an ornament " " on the side. Although luge sport originated in the 1880s in the Alps, and entered the program of the Olympic Games in 1954, this business is still not very well known in our country - however, it was the Latvian lugers who won the first USSR medals in this sport in 1980. In post-Soviet times, their own sleigh-bobble complexes have been built since then in the Moscow region (Paramonovo) and Sochi.

11.

From the station to the Sigulda Castle - another twenty minutes walk. There are more nice houses here than behind the railway, but they do not form a solid building anywhere.

12.

13.

14.

Installations so beloved in the Baltic States:

15.

But in general, Sigulda most of all resembles Jurmala - a well-maintained resort town, where in every second house there is not a hotel like a cafe, but every second passerby is a group of tourists:

16.

On the approaches to the castle - St. Berthold's church (1930-36, but in general it has been known on this site since 1483):

17.

Protestant minimalist hall:

18.

And in the tower there was an exhibition of mosaics by Valdas Atals (if I'm not mistaken):

19.

Everything would be fine, but they are made of buttons! I have seen pictures of sand and feathers, so these mosaics perfectly continue the series.

20.

Well, there is a stone's throw to the castle. For his detailed history, as usual, I refer to the site of Renata Rimsha, I myself will retell it very briefly. As already mentioned, Sigevold was the first castle founded by the crusaders far from the sea (1207-1211), and for the next three hundred years remained one of the most influential in Livonia. Firstly, the lands touched here, and therefore the interests of the Master of the Order, the Archbishop of Riga, and, in addition, the Riga Dome Chapter, which had not so many possessions outside of Riga, clashed; Secondly. the Gauja valley, in principle, turned out to be the center of the order lands, its capital Wenden (Cesis) stood a little higher, but Zigevold was the center of the komturstvo (province) on whose territory it was located. Since 1432, the residence of the landmarshal, that is, the commander, has been here - and as you might guess, in the Order this was the position number 2 after the master. And although the castle was destroyed by Ivan the Terrible during the Livonian War, it nevertheless rebuilt much faster than Wenden, and under the Commonwealth it was the actual center of the Wenden Voivodeship, which included almost all of right-bank Latvia. The castle was finally finished off by the Polish-Swedish war, and having gone to Sweden in 1621, in the following centuries Siegevold turned from a fortress into a manor that grew on the site of a destroyed forburg - a decorative wall of the late 19th century runs approximately in the same place as the fortress:

21.

For three hundred years, the estate has changed many owners, the longest time (1783-1898) the castle was owned by the Ostsee barons Borchi (I already showed their other estate somehow), and the last owners were the Kropotkins - I must say, it is a rather rare case that the estate of an Ostsee baron went to to a Russian nobleman: Dmitry Kropotkin married Olga Borkh (who formally remained the mistress of the estate until the end of her life), after which, in 1878-81, one of the most beautiful neo-Gothic palaces in Latvia was built, the architect of which, by the way, was the ethnic Latvian Janis Mengelis .

22.

But the wooden outbuildings may be older, from the time of the Borchs:

23.

Another painted sled, this time not sporty at all:

24.

Burned down in the First World War, after the war the palace became state property, and in the 1930s it housed the House of Writers - I don’t know what they did there: performed, created or rested; then (1936-37) the tower was built on. Now the palace is occupied by the Sigulda City Council, and I did not understand whether it is possible to freely get inside, where very beautiful interiors of the 1920s have been preserved.

25.

And medieval ruins are met right in the backyard, behind a deep moat that separated the convent from the forburg. Siegevold was lucky - the owners of the estate took care of it as a decoration of the park and a relic, and even before the revolution, the Old Castle became one of the main attractions of the Ostsee region. As I understand it, most of the surviving buildings belong to the 15th century, and in 2011 they underwent a very high-quality restoration. On the right is the assembly hall and the chapel, on the left is one of the two surviving towers, and in the wooden structure there is a ticket office and a souvenir kiosk:

26.

Above the entrance is the coat of arms of the Borchs.

26a.

From the wall, so high that an arrow could not fly over it, in one direction a view of the Kropotkin Palace, and in the other - to the stage inside the castle:

27.

The wall and the chapel - the view of the Middle Ages is simply utterly impossible:

28.

Chapel from the inside. The wall in the foreground separated the assembly hall:

29.

The stub of the second tower contains a small museum where I did not go:

30.

And this is how the castle looked during its heyday on the eve of the Livonian War:

30a.

The observation deck offers a view of the Gauja forest area and Turaida Castle in the distance, the plan of which is also attached.

31.

Rather, his replica - the real Treiden has not survived to this day, his stones went a lot to the construction of the Kropotkin Palace, and there, in the distance, since 1953, the "ideal Livonian castle", a collective image of the chivalrous past of the Baltic states, has been slowly being built.

32.

In the castle that day, the revival was clearly visible: in addition to the stage, there were laid tables ...

33.

At the checkout there is a girl in medieval attire (I apologize for taking a picture in an unfortunate position - but still I think it’s clear even so that she is very beautiful):

34.

And at the gates of the estate, the arriving guests were greeted by a musician boy:

35.

Leaving the gate, I went to the right - past the boiler room:

36.

Past the directorate of the Gauja National Park - by the way, the largest (approximately the size of Moscow before expansion) and the oldest (1979) in Latvia:

37.

Through a busy street, steeply descending from the shore and through a cozy park with flower beds to the cable car station, the 1060m long line of which was thrown in 1969 through the Gauja valley:

38.

The only booth runs every half an hour until 6 pm, and it is better to come in advance - everyone may not fit in it. I was waiting for boarding in the company of tourists, where the most noticeable was a large girl in her 20s with a short haircut and a very loud voice. In principle, after five minutes of waiting, according to intonations and expressions (especially the word "hipster" that regularly slipped through), I no longer doubted that Muscovites were in front of me, and I could not even resist and asked them directly about it. In general, there are a lot of Russian tourists in Latvia, and the guys, of course, were not very happy with the appearance of a compatriot in the field of view.

39.

The start of the cable car is impressive - only when it starts, it abruptly goes down. The appearance of the pavilion is rather suspicious - clearly another echo of interwar architecture. I did not measure the travel time, but it felt like 7-10 minutes.

40.

The Gauja with its wild hilly shores reminded me very much, especially where nothing man-made gets into the frame:

41.

But that this is not the Russian North, but the Baltic states, make it clear as many as three castles from different sides - the Siegevold is behind, barely visible through the trees:

42.

Turaida three kilometers upstream:

43.

And Krimulda is right on the course - she has been known since 1255; like Siegevold, it was destroyed during the Polish-Swedish war and since 1625 it turned into an estate, which the Lievens owned the farthest, and in 1862 Alexander II even stayed in the palace. The current palace, as I understand it, was built around the same time, and somewhere in the manor park even the ruins of the walls of the 14th century remained. In Soviet times, a tuberculosis sanatorium was located there, for the service of which the cable car was built, moreover, according to calendulae , with the participation of builders from the Georgian Chiatura, where there is a whole network of passenger cable cars. However, I did not really examine the Krimulda estate:

44.

The bridge is a little older than the cable car - 1950, and in principle it is strange that the matter was not limited to them alone. Pay attention to the abundance of driftwood - the Gauja erodes its wooded banks very intensively:

45.

Krimulda station at the other end of the cable car:

46.

You can get to Turaida Castle on this contraption - but I decided to walk:

47.

About Krimulda and Turaida - in the next part.

LATVIA-2013
. Villages and religions. Imperial Riga. "Eisenstein's quarter".
Train station, market and skyscraper.
Masque. Side of Riga.
Factory suburbs. Grzinkalns.
Factory suburbs. Northeast industrial zone.
Factory suburbs. Sarkandaugava.
Left Coast. Zadvinye, or Pardaugava.
Left Coast. Bolderaya, Daugavsgriva fortress and access to the sea.
Riga Ethnographic Museum.
Jurmala. Resort villages.
Jurmala. Railway, Sloka and Kemeri.
Vidzeme.
Sigulda. Left bank of the Gauja.
Sigulda. Krimulda and Turaida.
Cesis. County town.
Cesis. Wenden Castle.
Cesis. Araishi.
Vidzeme hinterland. Straupe, Ungurmuizha, Birini.
. Narrow gauge.
. Cities and estates.
Semigallia (Zemgale).
Jelgava. Mitavsky Palace and Castle Island.
Jelgava. Remains of the city.
Rundala and Zalenieki. Biron Palaces.
Bauska. The first capital of the duchy.
Tukums. On the way to Courland.
Neighborhood of Tukums. Shlokenbeka, Sinevilla, Jaunmok.
Courland (Kurzeme).
Kuldiga. City above the waterfall.
Kandava and Sabile. Courland towns.
Courland hinterland. Embute, Virga, Priekulya, Grobina.
Liepaja. Marine facade.
Liepaja Naval. Karosta and Tosmare.
Liepaja industrial. Metallurgical Plant and the Northern Suburb.
Liepaja. New town and Trade Channel.
Liepaja. Old city.
Tsirava, Saka, Pavilosta.
Suiti land. Alsunga, Edole.
Ventspils. Old city.
Ventspils. Port and new color.
Ventspils. Seaside park.
Dundaga and Nurmuizh.
. Root of the Baltic.

Beauties of Riga, let's go to Sigulda to remember unique beauty nature and diverse cultural and historical heritage. From all sides the city is surrounded by picturesque forests, in the lush foliage of which medieval castles are hidden, like traces of a bygone era. From a bird's eye view, Sigulda seems like a tiny piece of civilization among the bright green landscapes of natural Gauja nature reserve.

The surrounding landscapes have made Sigulda a resort town with a winter sports centre.

This is where the Olympic bobsledders glide through the snow-covered hills of the valley.

The Sigulda route is the only one of its kind in the entire Baltic.

Then we went to Sigulda Castle with a majestic stone fence. Not far from the entrance is such a wonderful composition. Some soldiers made of scrap metal, granite stones and wood. By the way, this sculptural composition is also included in the list of sights of Sigulda and is called it.

The park contains the Kropotkin Manor and the old Sigulda Castle.

New Sigulda Palace It is a neo-gothic two-story building with a four-tiered tower. The construction of the New Castle was carried out under the princes Kropotkin in the period from 1878 to 1881.

The symbol of Sigulda is walking sticks. They can be purchased here in kind and as souvenirs.

The Old Sigulda Castle of the Livonian Order turned out to be a very beautiful archaeological structure.

Around the ruins, a moat has been preserved, which previously protected the castle from enemy attacks.

Now a platform runs through the moat, here is the ticket office.

After passing through the gates of the tower, we get to the territory where in ancient times the turbulent medieval life was in full swing.

Now there is peace and quiet here. And in summer time on the open stage, the festival takes place against the backdrop of medieval architecture, where famous opera stars perform.

From the observation deck of the gate tower in the fog you can see national park Gauja and Turaida Castle, to which we will head a little later.

And first, let's look at the Gutman caves, which belongs to the Turaida park.

The walls of the cave are formed from dense red sandstone, which was formed about 410 million years ago.

Its depth is 18.8 meters, width is 12 meters. The cave is famous for its inscriptions on the walls, the oldest of which date back to 1668 and 1677.

A clean and cold stream flows out of the cave, flowing into the Gauja, which flows nearby. Several are associated with the cave. interesting legends. One of them says that the cave appeared when Rindaug - the leader of the Liv tribe - having learned about his wife's infidelity, walled her up on the shore. We learned the fascinating continuation of the legend of the Turaida Rose in the picturesque sculpture park.

And finally, we have before us a monument of history and architecture - the Turaida Castle. The building that we see is recreated, that is, built on the site of the castle.

In the middle of the 20th century, an observation deck was placed in the round tower of the fortress (at a height of 38 meters), which offers a fabulous view of the surrounding area.

The tower, erected in the 13th century, was built so that the inhabitants of the fortress could monitor the approach of enemies. The entrance to the tower was originally arranged at a height of 10 meters, where they climbed along a wooden ladder. After that, the stairs were burned.

The existing entrance to the tower was built in the middle of the 20th century at the site of a failure in the ancient wall. On observation deck of the fortress tower are narrow passages with stone steps evoking a medieval atmosphere.

From the observation deck main tower Turaida Castle, from a height of more than 100 m above the river level, offers a beautiful view of ancient river Gaui. This is the most winding and beautiful river in Latvia. Its valley is the deepest in the Baltics, at Sigulda it reaches 70-80 m of depth.

Tower-shaped southern building

West building.

Having examined the surroundings from a bird's eye view, we walked along the picturesque Sculpture Park dedicated to Latvian folk songs.

The walls and towers hide many legends, among which the most famous is the legend of the Turaida rose, the girl Maya of unearthly beauty, who died for her love and honor.

On the territory of the park you can see the historical (18th century) and quite picturesque Turaida Lutheran Church.

Sculptures made from boulders are installed in the Folk Song Park.

Sculptor Indulis Ranki.

It is amazing small town. During the tour, we saw the main sights and had to leave after a few hours, we really wanted to stay for a few days to wander around the area, enjoying the scenery. The symbol of Sigulda - a cane - was bought as a souvenir. In Latvia, you can buy a lot of original which will be a pleasure to present to friends and family.

We felt the color of the Middle Ages in the Hansa restaurant, located in Pskov, where we went to taste dishes prepared according to the best recipes of Europe. At the end of the trip, it was a pleasure to discuss the route of the tour in a pleasant, colorful atmosphere. Everyone, without exception, liked the fireworks in honor of and, buildings, squares, bridges and monuments turn into unique works of light art.

Which is visited annually by about a million tourists. Emerald Alpine hills, endless flowering fields, authentic wooden farmhouses and legendary medieval castles. All this is combined here in amazing harmony. For the incredible picturesque horizons, Sigulda is called "Latvian Switzerland". But besides the most beautiful landscapes, tourists here will find a whole firework of emotions and vivid impressions, caused by a rich program of exciting entertainment.

History of Sigulda

The history of the city of Sigulda is quite typical for Latvia. A modest settlement of fishermen and peasants in the river valley, the militant knightly Middle Ages, the period of post-war stagnation, and then rapid restoration and prosperity in the 20th century.

The year of foundation of Sigulda is considered to be 1207, when the first fortress was built on these lands. After that, for many years, the place fortified on the high bank of the river remained an important stronghold and became the epicenter of great battles in almost every war.

A new round of settlement development begins in the middle of the 19th century. Then the Kropotkin princes ruled here. The most enterprising of them was Nikolai Dmitrievich, who had the idea to present Sigulda as popular resort. He persistently lobbied for the construction of the “-” railway and actively sold local land for building dachas and boarding houses to the rich in Riga. Soon about the "new paradise St. Petersburg, Warsaw and Moscow aristocrats learned. Already at the beginning of the twentieth century, the number of elite summer residents in the summer was twice the local population.

In 1928, Sigulda received the status of a city and continued to develop rapidly. In the 50-60s, a bridge was built across, a station, several boarding houses, a school, a department store and the House of Culture.

Today Sigulda is a major tourist resort in Latvia and the center of the Sigulda region. The population of the city is 11,200 people.

What to see in Sigulda?

If you are going to visit the resort in transit or set aside one day for a city tour, you will leave here with a heavy heart. You won’t have time to see half of it, but there really is something to see here:

And this is not all the sights of Sigulda, but only the most popular among tourists. So get ready for an exciting adventure, stock up on time, comfortable shoes and memory on your photo device.

Things to do?

To really get into the atmosphere of this amazing city, it must be visited at least three times in different time of the year.

In summer, everything is seething here from the irrepressible energy of extreme tourists who go to Sigulda for new emotions. After all, this is a paradise for thrill-seekers. You will have the opportunity:

In addition to extreme entertainment, there are many other leisure activities in Sigulda. You can rent bicycles, boats, canoes, and even outdoor recreational electric cars. In the evening, the doors to the elite cinema "Lora" with soft leather chairs are open, where during the session the waiter delivers snacks and drinks. Also in the city there are many baths, saunas and spas where you can relax after an eventful day.

In autumn in Sigulda you can do incredible photos against the backdrop of yellow-crimson picturesque landscapes overlooking ancient castles and palaces. At this time, there are a lot of Rigans here who, after relaxing abroad in the summer, come to enjoy their native nature.

Well, in winter, the spirit of the Olympics reigns in Sigulda. There is a huge one with a track of 1420 meters and 16 sharp turns. Entrance to the territory costs €0.60 (children €0.30). Who is not afraid can go down to the vuchko, "beans" or "frog". This pleasure will cost from €10 to €50.

Plenty in winter time here and lovers of skiing. Sigulda has several trails of varying length and difficulty. Ski and equipment rentals are available in the Fischer Centre. You can also use the services of an instructor, a changing room, a shower and a sauna.

Where to stay?

Sigulda hotels correspond to the majestic status of the city. Almost all of them are decorated in the aristocratic palace style. You can stay in the following hotels:

But Sigulda hotels are not the only accommodation option in the city. You can stay in one of the guest houses in the picturesque surroundings of the resort:

• Bruveri;
• Kungu Rija;
• Bersas;
• Svinkates;
• Livkalns;
• Karumnieki;
• Cetras seasons;
• Bucefals;
• Reinis;
• Maurini;
• Villa Alberta.

In Sigulda, you can also rent an apartment in one of two small apartment hotels: Prieka pietura at Stacias street 6 or Kaku Maja Opposite Key Square.

For only €15 you will be offered an overnight stay in Hostel Kaba on st. A. Pumpura 19/1.

All prices shown are current as of March 2017.

Cafes and restaurants

Each hotel in Sigulda has a restaurant, which is open not only for guests, but also for ordinary tourists. Here you can order a delicious delicious dinner. There is a beautiful restaurant in the city - Fazenda(Vidzeme highway 14). It has an unusual interior that combines country style and decorative Latvian elements. Recently opened another restaurant - on the street. Malplis 4d.

There are also many different cafes, bistros and confectioneries in Sigulda where you can have a snack or a cup of coffee with a delicious dessert:

Pizza lovers will be able to taste their favorite delicacy in mall Sokolade on st. Strelnieku 2, in pizzerias La Pizza Veloce on st. Raina 2 or in a cozy place Zalumnieku piestatne(Pils street 9).

Weather in Sigulda

The climate in Sigulda is closer to temperate continental. Winter here is quite mild. Severe frosts are a rarity. average temperature the coldest month of January is -5°C. But summer is also not hot. Temperatures above +20°C are the exception rather than the norm. On average, in the summer months the air warms up to +17°C, +18°C. It usually rains from August to October. The rest of the year there is little rainfall.

Useful information for tourists

• there are convenient parking lots everywhere in the city, but in summer they become paid;
• in the afternoon, with a frequency of 1 hour, bus number 12 runs, which is often used by tourists (it can be reached from the station to Krimulda, Turaida and back);
.

In the center of Latvia, on the Gauja River, there is an amazing resort town of Sigulda. It is surrounded by magnificent nature and is part of the Gauja National Park.

Exceptional nature and abundance architectural masterpieces attract tourists here.

While in Sigulda, you should definitely see its famous castles and natural monuments.

Turaida Castle

It is located on the right bank of the Gauja. On the area of ​​the Turaida Museum-Reserve, equal to 41 hectares, there are 37 historical buildings. This the most popular museum complex Latvia.

Foundation of the castle

The laying of the castle took place in 1214 by the Bishop Philip of Ratseburg. The process of completing and strengthening the castle continued until the 16th century. It was residence of the Bishop of Riga.

The castle was given the name Fredeland (German for "peaceful land"). However, this name did not hold. The name “Turaida” (“divine garden”) remained, which the ancient Livs called the castle. For many centuries, the fortress served as a guard for nearby territories. When the Livonian state collapsed, it became part of the Turaida estate.

In 1776, a fire broke out, from which the building was almost completely burned out. In the 19th century, attempts were made to turn the surviving castle courtyard into a manor. For this purpose, a residential building, outbuildings, a barn, a stable and other necessary buildings were erected.

Fortress restoration

The ruins of the castle, with their romantic view, have attracted tourists since the 18th century. In 1924, the fortress appeared status of a historical object protected by the state. In 1936, a viewing terrace was built on the site of the round tower (38 m high), from which you can admire the bewitching view of the surroundings. The rise leading to the platform is rather low and narrow. The height of the passage is about 1.5 m, the width is 0.5 m.

In 1953, the restoration of the Turaida Castle began. Since 1973, archaeological, restoration and restoration work has been carried out. About 500 interesting and important finds were discovered. According to the results of the excavations, a report of 1000 pages was drawn up. In addition to describing the found exhibits, about 500 plans and diagrams were compiled, and about 7,000 photographs were taken.

What tourists see

Together with the Observation Tower in Turaida Castle, the following were recreated:

• fortress walls
• Northern and Semicircular towers
• south tower building

Since 1962, the restored utility building has served as a place for the historical exposition of the museum-reserve. The museum fund is constantly replenished with new exhibits of archaeological excavations.

Turaida Castle attracts organizers and participants of various events. There are regular concerts of ancient and modern music. Exhibitions and festivals are arranged. Artisans work in the courtyard of the fortress.

Castles of sigulda

Almost opposite the Turaida Castle are the old and new Sigulda castles.

Fortress as a strategic object

Story medieval castle has been going on since the 13th century. Its construction began on a steep hill in 1207 by the master of the Order of the Sword. But in 1236 this order was defeated, and the Livonian Order was established in the castle.

The fortress was recognized as the first castle of the order in the vicinity of Riga as strategic center German conquering crusaders. It was well fortified. The area with the castle was located between two ravines and the Gauja valley. On the fourth side, the building was protected by a moat 18m deep. From the side of the river, the slope had a maximum height of 56m, and from the side of Gaujas Street - 42m.

However strategic importance The fortress was gradually lost due to the advent of firearms.

The destruction of the old castle and the construction of a new one

In the Swedish-Polish war of 1600-1629. lock was seriously damaged. And after the Northern War, it was completely destroyed. As a result, the owners of the fortress and nearby lands decided not to restore it.

Almost a century later, the owner of the castle, Olga Kropotkina, began the construction of a new palace nearby. IN late XIX century, her son, Nikolai Kropotkin, inherited the von Borchov family estate along with the castle.

After the end of World War I, the Latvian Society of Journalists took over the castle. After World War II, the new Sigulda Palace turned into a sanatorium. Since 2003, the Sigulda Regional Council has been sitting in this palace.

What is offered to tourists

Next to the new palace, you can admire the ruins of the medieval Sigulda fortress, from which the southwestern building with Gothic windows and a gate tower remains.

A platform and benches for classical music concerts were installed in the castle. Passing into the reconstructed knight's room, you can meet a monk. He will show cold weapons, offer to try on a helmet, chain mail and a shield.

Krimulda castles

Medieval history of the castle

In the village of Krimulda, near Sigulda, stood luxurious medieval castle from which picturesque ruins remain. It was founded in 1312 for the advisers of the Bishop of Riga. A strategically competent place was chosen. Deep ravines served as insurmountable obstacles.

In the castle were built suspension bridge, watchtowers, kitchen, cellars, dining room, living quarters. However, after the Swedish-Polish war in the 17th century, the fortress was destroyed and never rebuilt. Has reached us fragment of the fortress wall with gothic windows.

New Age Castle

In 1817 Prince Lieven became the owner of Krimulda. He is building a new palace. The second version of the Krimulda castle was "overgrown" with a park with a large number of walking paths and wooden stairs. Here in 1854 he spent his holidays A. Suvorov, who was then Governor-General of Vidzeme.

In 1862 the castle was visited by Russian emperor Alexander II. The sovereign was so delighted with the view of the valley of the Gauja River that this place was specially noted. Subsequently, in 2001, a huge wooden throne was installed here, which became a landmark called the "Royal Throne".

The Lievens owned the castle until 1921. Today in Krimulda is located rehabilitation center for patients suffering from articular diseases. But anyone can see the restored castle. To do this, you need to book a tour for inspection:

• medieval ruins of an old castle
• castle park
• master's house

Caves of Sigulda

Gutman cave

This is a natural celebrity and popular tourist place Sigulda. Gutanya Cave is located on the highway between Sigulda and Turaida, in the territory of the Turaida Park. It is very convenient to get there, which adds tourists to it. In the Baltic States, this is the most famous and largest cave. Its dimensions:

• 18.8 m depth
• 12 m width
• 10 m height
• 170 m2 area
• 500 m3 volume

The formation of the Gutman cave began 10,000 years ago. It was the result of the "work" of water from the ice age, which carved sandstone into the rock. The sandstone itself, dense and red, formed during the Devonian period 410 million years ago.

The name of the cave comes from healer's name Gutman. He successfully treated the sick with water from a stream flowing from a cave. Now this spring is recognized as curative.

Devil's Cave

It is located above Gutman's cave on the slope of a mountain 15 m high. According to legend, the devil waited out the nightfall in this cave. From his breath the walls turned black, which gave rise to the name of the cave. It is located in the Devil's Rock. Its dimensions:

• 19 m deep,
• 7 m wide,
• 4.7 m height.

Nearby is the Small Devil's Cave, from under which the spring of Wisdom flows. In it, the ancient Livs bathed babies, believing that they would grow up smart and healthy.

The location of the Big Devil's Cave is also convenient - in the southern section tourist route in the direction of Sigulda - Krimulda - Turaida. The entrance to it is at a height of 8 m. Go down to it strictly prohibited. But a pedestrian suspension bridge was built nearby, from where it is perfectly visible. You can still get to the cave if you follow the walking paths on the right and left banks of the Gauja.

One of the main attractions in Latvia is, of course, come and listen organ concerts that are happening here.

Read everything about obtaining a Latvian Schengen in ours, about how to get a visa on your own.

Going on a sea cruise is quite inexpensive, read at this link: about the available ferry conditions from Riga to Sweden.

Gauja - national park

This park was officially created in 1973. But those wishing to take a walk along the banks of the Gauja came here already in the 19th century. Gauja is the only major river Latvia. For 461 km it flows through the country. The national park is protected river valley 94 km long.

IN national park about 500 historical monuments are concentrated. Among them:

• ancient settlements
• churches
• stone castles
• estates

In 1975, nature trails were laid here and wild animals were brought from different regions of Latvia. As a rule, these are tamed wounded cubs, unable to live without human intervention. In the nature reserve can be found roe deer, wild boars, bears, moose, wolves, foxes, bison, lynxes. Walking along nature trails takes up to 2.5 hours.

Amusement park in Sigulda

In 2008, Tarzan Park was opened in Sigulda. It has installed obstacle courses equipped on trees. Arranged 8 tracks and 80 obstacles that need to be overcome. The park also has a catapult for those who want to know what weightlessness is.

Another adventure park is Forest Cat. It has 6 tracks and 82 obstacles. Here you can go to bike routes and play beach volleyball.

Aerodium (Aerodium)

Not far from Sigulda is AERODIUM – a vertical wind tunnel. Those who wish can soar without parachutes and ropes. This effect is achieved powerful jet of air down up. Having taken off high, you can “lie” in the air and even perform acrobatic exercises.

The pipe is intended for people aged 5-75 years, weighing 20-100 kg and up to 2 m tall. First, a briefing is given to teach behavior in the pipe.

It was in this place that the shooting of the flight scenes for the film “Armor of God: Mission of the Zodiac” took place by the producer, director, screenwriter and actor, in which the notorious Jackie Chan acted.

Tourists also have the opportunity to ride a cable car across the Gauja, as well as rodoli - high-speed sleds, visit the Kaķiškalns rope park and race along the bobsleigh track.

It is impossible to describe all the attractive places in Sigulda. Each person will find something of their own in it. It is comfortable for adherents of any kind of rest, both unhurried and quiet, and stormy and even dangerous. You just need come to Latvia and choose your favorite entertainment.

Sigulda is a picturesque town in Latvia, located 53 km northeast of Riga. Amazing nature and architectural structures attract tourists every year. While in Sigulda it is necessary to visit local castles, natural monuments, ski resort and aerodium. And also visit the largest cave in Latvia - Gutman.

In the article we will tell about all the sights of this amazing town and suggest the best route that will suit tourists who come to Latvia for one day.

The city is located on the banks of the Gauja River, where the National Park is located. Excursions to castles and palaces of the Middle Ages, reserves and parks will provide relaxing holiday and unforgettable atmosphere.

Turaida building

This architectural structure since the Middle Ages attracts the attention of many tourists. The castle was founded in 1214, but unfortunately it was completely destroyed in a fire. Since the middle of the 20th century, active restoration work has been going on, and today the northern, southern and observation towers have been restored. On the territory of the castle there is a museum and a sculpture park. The most popular complex is located 4 km from Riga at Turaidas iela 10, Sigulda, Latvija.

Old Sigulda Castle

The building was built by the Crusaders in 1207.. It is associated with the beginning of the history of the city. Due to constant assaults, most of the building was destroyed. Nevertheless, the architectural monument of the Gothic style deserves your attention. The building is located at Pils iela 18, Sigulda, Latvija.

New Sigulda Castle

Neo-Gothic monument erected in 1207. Today there are City Administration and a park where mass celebrations are held. You can visit the castle at Pils iela 16, Sigulda, Latvija.

Gutman cave

The largest cave in Latvia, from the base of which flows a stream of crystal clear water. The name of the cave was in honor of the doctor Gutman who discovered that the water in the spring has medicinal properties. Address: Gutmanis Cave Gaujas iela, Sigulda, Latvija.

ski resort

One of the most famous holiday destinations for tourists from all over the world, located 53 km from Riga. The resort can be visited at any time of the year. In summer, visitors are given the opportunity to ride on hot-air balloon or bungee jump. In autumn you can enjoy the nature of the resort, and in winter go skiing.

What to see if passing through?

There are three ways to get to Sigulda:

• By bus from Riga. On the road 2 hours, 6 buses per day.
• By train from Riga. The journey takes 1 hour 20 minutes. 10 trains run daily.
• By car. On the way 40-60 minutes.

If you are passing through the city of Sigulda, then in addition to local attractions, you will be interested in unique places cities.

Hill Dine

The architectural monument was created in 1985. This a sculpture park with figures of heroes of Latvian folklore. The park has a wonderful atmosphere that attracts tourists from all over the world.

cable car

This is an aerial cable way across the Gauja River. The cable length is 1020 km at a height of 40 m above the river. In a few minutes of the trip, you will have a beautiful view of the city, picturesque nature and sights. For fans of extreme sports, there is an opportunity to try rope jumping from a cable car that stops in the middle of the river.

Gauja National Park

The park was created in 1973. There are about 500 historical monuments on the territory.: churches, estates, stone palaces. There is a nature reserve here, a walk along the trails of which will take about 2 hours. But it's worth it.

Aerodium

A unique wind tunnel for thrill seekers. Those who wish can literally soar in the air without insurance and parachutes. A powerful jet of air will keep them at a height. You just need to go through a short briefing.

Classic itinerary for one day

For those who do not have the opportunity to stay in the city for a long time, special routes have been compiled. A map with the route will be provided free of charge at the tourist information center at the station convenient for you.

If you want to fully enjoy the city and see the main attractions, then use the longest route:

1. First, visit the Gauja National Park. Ancient churches, rich estates and a nature reserve will not leave you indifferent.
2. Next, head to the Turaida Complex, walk along the paths of the park and learn more about the Turaida Castle. Climb up to the observation deck in the round tower and enjoy an incredibly beautiful view of the city.
3. From there, ride the cable car that traverses the entire valley.
4. The final point of the trip will be Gutman's Cave.

In order to have time to go through all the points, it is better to arrive in the city early in the morning. You can go back to Riga in the evening by any transport convenient for you.

Summing up, I would like to note that it is advisable to give the city 2-3 days to visit all the sights and attractive places of the Latvian town. Everyone will like Sigulda: both lovers of a calm and quiet holiday, and those who like extreme sports and even danger. You just need to come to Latvia and decide to find entertainment to your liking.