Page 194 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Estonia Latvia & Lithuania

192  LA T VIA REGION B Y REGION

Exploring Gauja National Park extensively res tored. Plaques
help visitors to understand the
The park follows the Gauja River Valley as it flows southwest site, while exhi bitions inside
from Valmiera. Road access to the park is good, with the A2 deal with the history of
and A3 running alongside. The most convenient access points the castle and illus trate the
from Rīga are Sigulda, where the park infor mation office is restoration process. Near
the museum entrance are the
located, and Cēsis. In addition to hotels and guesthouses remains of the Turaida estate,
along the major routes and close to the tourist sites, the park as well as a working smithy
includes a network of 22 campsites. They are arranged along and exhibitions on farming
the Gauja, Amata and Brasla rivers, making canoeing an and woodcraft.
appealing way to see the area. The stretch between Sigulda Close to the castle is the
Turaida Church. Built in 1750, it
and Cēsis is particularly attractive.
is one of the oldest wooden
churches in Latvia. Outside is a
Sigulda memorial to the Turaida Rose
£ from Rīga. @ from Rīga. (see p191) and tucked away
n Train station, Ausekla iela 6, behind the church is the Folk
6797 1335. ∑ sigulda.lv Song Park (Dainu kalns), where
A spacious town set in scenic 25 sculptures celebrate the
woodland, Sigulda is a centre work of Krišjānis Barons (see
for outdoor activities and is p155). Nature trails lead down
also a good base for visiting slopes from the park.
Krimulda and Turaida. After
the Brotherhood of the Sword Cēsis
subdued the Liv population 35 km (22 miles) NE of Sigulda.
in 1207, they gave the valley’s £ from Rīga. @ from Rīga.
right bank to the Bishop of Rīga n Pils laukums 9, 6412 1815.
and built their own castle on ∑ tourism.cesis.lv
the left bank. The Brotherhood, Cable car carrying visitors from Sigulda Museum of Art and History: Pils
renamed the Livonian Order, to Krimulda laukums 9. Open May–Sep: 10am–
lost the town to the Poles in 6pm daily; Oct–Apr: 10am–5pm Tue–
Sun. & inc New Castle. 8 =
1562, and it passed between now a rehabilitation centre
the Poles and Swedes for for children, with a café and One of the oldest towns in
150 years until it was taken by basic accommodation. Latvia, Cēsis has winding streets
Russia in the Great Northern lined with attractive wooden
War (1700–21). + Turaida Museum Reserve and stone buildings. It was once
The castle ruins are tucked 6 km (4 miles) N of Sigulda. @ from an important trading centre,
away behind the 19th-century Sigulda. Tel 6797 2376. Open May– becoming a member of the
New Castle (Jaunā pils) and Oct: 9am–8pm daily; Nov–Apr: Hanseatic League in 1383.
its fine gardens. Close by is 10am–5pm daily. & 8 5 11am Sun. The town served as the
a Lutheran church and the - = ∑ turaida-muzejs.lv headquarters of the Brothers
impressive viewpoint called The Turaida Museum Reserve of the Sword, and later the
Artists’ Hill (Gleznotāju kalns). mainly consists of a castle and Livonian Order, for much of the
Paths run through the woodland a group of outbuildings. period between 1237 and 1561.
to Satzele Castle Mound, once a Turaida Castle was built by the In 1577, Ivan the Terrible took
Liv fortress, and Peter’s Cave on Brotherhood of the Sword in Cēsis. Further damage was
the bank of the Vējupīte river. 1214. It was left in ruins after a inflicted during the Great
fire in 1776 and has since been Northern War and the town also
Krimulda
@ from Sigulda.  from Sigulda
9am–5pm Mon–Fri. n 6797 2232.
8 - ∑ krimuldaspils.lv
The Bishop of Rīga had a castle
built in Krimulda after taking
control of the right bank of the
Gauja Valley in 1207. Krimulda
Castle (Krimuldas pils) was
destroyed by the Swedish army
in 1601, and little remains of
the ruins. It is easier to spot
the nearby 19th-century
Neo-Classical manor house
(Krimuldas muižas pils). It is The Cēsis castle complex contains some of the most impressive ruins in the Baltic States
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp302–303 and pp324–5

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