Walk around Sigulda. Sights, parks and churches, cafes and restaurants, palaces and castles of Sigulda, as well as where to go with children and active holidays in Sigulda. Sigulda: the main sights and interesting places (with photos) Gauja - national park
Less than an hour's drive from Riga, Sigulda is a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Here travelers can enjoy stunning landscapes, ancient castles and exciting adventures.
In Sigulda, anyone can overcome the obstacle course that runs through the tops of the trees.
In the adventure park open sky(by the way, the largest in the Baltics!) you can not only walk 20 m above the ground, but also go down the hill along the rodent track, as well as engage in other outdoor activities
Spread your wings and take to the skies by visiting. Both children and adults will get a lot of positive emotions!
Visiting the ruins of Sigulda Castle, you will plunge into: try on sparkling armor, learn the art of wielding a battle ax and throwing knives, experience punishment with stocks and, by candlelight, enjoy authentic intoxicating drinks that were held in high esteem by medieval knights.
Sigulda is one of the few places in the world that is open to everyone. 1420 m of descent, 16 turns and a braking distance of 200 m - you can check all these parameters personally: in winter on a vuchko, in summer - on a "frog".
In Sigulda you can ride on the only one in the Baltic States cable car: you will speed up to 60 km/h and admire the landscape of the ancient riverbed of the Gauja passing below. In addition, bungee jumping from a trailer following the cable car is offered - a free fall from a height of 43 m!
#7 Admire the views of the ancient riverbed of Gauja
Climb Paradise Hill or anywhere else for breathtaking views, or hike the many nature trails to discover a wealth of never-before-seen treasures!
#8 Spend the night in a glamping
Relax in one of the eight Klaukas glamping tents: bird symphonies, walks in the morning dew and stargazing will energize you with nature.
This is only a small part of what Sigulda and its surroundings can offer. If the weekend is coming and you want to take a trip to Latvia, .
In extreme cases, here you can just draw inspiration!
Sigulda— a small tourist town in the central part of Latvia. Population - 10 600 inhabitants. The city is located 50 km northeast of Riga (towards Pskov) on the Gauja River.
Sigulda successfully combines rich historical heritage, winter sports center, attractions for outdoor enthusiasts, and at the same time is the cover of the Gauja National Nature Park. Due to the picturesque location, Sigulda is a popular holiday destination for Rigans. Sigulda is visited by about a million tourists a year.
I hope that the top picture has already attracted you, so let's start with the historical heritage. :)
Historical heritage is represented in Sigulda by three castles and several manors. The most famous, Turaida Castle, was founded in 1214 at the direction of the Bishop of Riga Albert. The castle is located on the right bank of the Gauja River.
View of the Gauja river valley from the main tower of the Turaida fortress. The height of the tower is 38 meters.
Turaida Museum-Reserve was founded in 1988. The museum-reserve occupies an area of 42 hectares, on which there are 39 historical buildings and structures, it forms a complex of natural, historical and cultural monuments of the 11th-20th centuries: the Turaida stone castle with forburgs built in 1212, the Church Hill with a medieval cemetery, the tomb of the Turaida Rose and a wooden Lutheran church built in 1750, the former economic part of the Turaida manor with restored ponds, a park of folk songs with 26 sculptures by the sculptor Indulis Ranka, and Dain Mountain on the site of an ancient settlement of the Gauja Livs.
Turaida estates. Something even reminded Finland ... probably in color.
A few kilometers from the Turaida castle, also on the right bank of the Gauja River, there was another - Krimulda Castle. It was completed in 1255, during the time of the High Bishop Albert II. Until 1566, it remained in the possession of the Riga Domkapitul (the highest church board under the bishop).
After 1566, the Krimulda Castle and the estate were occupied by Polish troops. In 1601, the castle was conquered by the Swedes. And in the same year, in the fall, they leave it, destroying both the castle itself and, in part, the town around it, making it unsuitable for accommodating the returning Polish troops. In 1621, Krimulda again passes into the possession of the Swedes.
In 1853, Paul Lieven, the first of the nobility of Vidzeme Switzerland, laid out a park on the right bank of the Gauja with many promenades and two wooden stairs. The first one leads from the Vikmestskaya beam and has 380 steps. The second one, 325 steps long, leads from the city park to the crossing over the Gauja.
In 1854, Alexander Suvorov, Governor-General of Vidzeme, spends his summer vacation in Krimulda Castle. Since that time, the Vimeste Upland of that time became known as Mount Suvorov. It offers a wonderful view of the Gauja valley.
Tsar Alexander II himself learns about the beautiful parks of von Lieven. Who, together with his wife and retinue, visits Krimulda on July 11-12, 1862. In honor of this visit, a wooden bridge is being built across the Gauja and a Serpentine Road is being built (which will be restored by the Sigulda City Council in 2007) and much more is being built.
Krimulda Castle. Or rather, all that is left of it.
third castle, Segewold, located on the left bank of the Gauja River . It was built in the early stage of the conquest of the Baltic lands by the Crusaders. Construction work on the erection of the castle was started by order of the first master of the Order of the Sword-bearers Vinno von Rohrbach in 1207 on the territory of one of the former Liv settlements on the banks of the Gauja River.
I will not retell the whole history of this castle here, if you are interested, you can read it on Wikipedia. I can only say that it was destroyed by Russian troops during the fierce battles of the Second Northern War, after which the castle was never fully restored.
In 1898, Nikolai Dmitrievich Kropotkin inherited the von Borchov family estate, including, in addition to locality Segewold passes to him and the castle. The young Prince Nikolai Kropotkin in the future will become a real state councilor, in 1910 he will receive the court rank of master of ceremonies, and in 1912 he will become vice-governor of Livonia. It is he who stands at the origins of modern Zegevold (Sigulda) - one of the most romantic and attractive tourist centers of the Baltic provinces, which is destined to become one of the favorite places for visiting symbolist poets and respectable high-ranking public from St. Petersburg and Moscow.
Segewold Castle. There is no money for a normal restoration in Latvia. Therefore, the approximate contours of the castle structures were erected from wood. Very efficient and effective.
There is also a fourth castle, although I would call it just an estate. New Sigulda Castle- a characteristic neo-Gothic monument, originally belonged to the counts Borkham, inherited by the Kropotkins, the current building was erected in 1878-1881 as the residence of Prince D.N. Kropotkin.
Let's go back to the right side. There, near the Krimulda Castle, there was a manor, which was mentioned in documents as early as the 15th century.
Currently, there is a rehabilitation hospital "Krimulda" and buildings of the central building of the manor - the manor house, stables, stables, servants' houses, the manager's house and the Swiss House. Apparently, the estate is up for sale for 8.5 million euros. The main building of the estate does not look very good, the belvedere looks especially sad.
Gauja National Park
The suburban parks of Sigulda can be called the cover of the Gauja National Park. Myself national park quite large and located along the Gauja River to Valmiera itself (there it is already 50 km to the border). But suburban parks make it clear what almost the entire national park is like.
It all starts with the cable car that connects the hills in Sigulda (left bank) and Krimulda (right bank). It was opened in 1969. The cable car takes 10-15 minutes to cover 1060 meters above the Gauja valley. It is from here that I would recommend starting a walk through parks and castles.
After crossing the river valley on the funicular, you still have to go down. Below is a park with caves. You can go down in two ways - along the serpentine (the same one that was built for the visit of Alexander II and updated in 2007) or along the steps. Choose for yourself, it's not high, but the steps are very unfortunate. on a large number of steps, but these are somehow especially infernal.
The caves are nothing of interest, except for the inscriptions in them.
Gutman's Cave is the largest cave in the Baltics. We arrived exactly on the day of the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Gauja National Park.
The most interesting thing here is the inscriptions made on sandstone. There are relatively new ones - "Tukum secondary school".
The oldest of those that we found with our eyes is 1817. But many are simply high and unreadable.
The first inscriptions date back to 1521-1564. Of those that have been partially preserved, the oldest is 1667. She was left by Anna Magdalena von Thysenhafsen.
Gauja National Park and the river of the same name. In the spring there is water. The entire park is filled to the very caves.
Sigulda is a small town located 51 kilometers from the Latvian capital. People go to Sigulda, first of all, to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the big city, as well as for the picturesque pristine nature, fresh air and solitude. And not in vain, Sigulda draws to itself like a magnet, because the city is located in the largest in Latvia, stretching for 918 kilometers along both banks of the Gauja River.
In addition to the chic nature in Sigulda there are many monuments of architecture and history, medieval castles, churches, parks and other interesting places of interest.
In this article, we will take a leisurely walk around Sigulda and see the main and most interesting sights of the city in our opinion. As mentioned earlier, Sigulda is a small town, you can easily get around it on foot in just an hour. This city is beautiful, impressing and somehow peacefully calm. In some places, especially sitting on a bench in a cane park, Sigulda resembles the small towns of Bavaria ().
Our walk around Sigulda started from station square(Stacijas laukums). It was here that we arrived from Riga by train, buses also come here. About how to get from Riga to Sigulda and back on your own.
The station square is small in size, it is playground And Laima watch. Laima Clock is a city clock with the logo of the famous Latvian confectionery factory Laima. Similar clocks can be seen in other cities of Latvia, for example in Riga, Laima Clock is located on.
Walking around Sigulda, we now and then came across squares and natural parks
Walking along Pils Street, we came to the sights, Square of Keys. The square of the three springs is a small piece of land on which there are three huge iron keys resting on a stone wall, an arch with a bench for rest and a decorative bridge nearby. The Three Springs Monument symbolizes the three historical centers of the Gauja National Park surroundings and their unity - Sigulda, Turaida and Krimulda. The square was opened in 2007 in honor of the 800th anniversary of Sigulda.
Walking further came across the next attraction of the city - canes park. Sigulda Reed Park was opened in 2007 as a tribute to Sigulda's most popular souvenir - walking sticks. A mention of this item can be found in the 19th century archival editions of the city, which say that walking through the country mountainous area requires a walking stick, which previously could be purchased from any street urchin. At present, the cane, of course, has lost its practical use, but it has remained a popular local souvenir. You can buy such a souvenir in any shop, they sell them in various sizes, from large to small.
Reed Park, a small green square with benches and sculptural compositions.
The streets in Sigulda are not wide, and residential buildings are mostly private and one-story with lawns and low fences around the perimeter. Of course, you can’t call them an attraction, but still beautiful.
Having crossed to the opposite side of Raina Street (Raiņa iela), we exit to small lake.
Near the lake is located (Siguldas Evangeliski Luteriska baznica). Location address of the Sigulda Lutheran Church: Baznicas iela 2.
In the place of the current church, in the old days there was another church, called the Church of St. Bertulis (Berthold). The first evidence of the church dates back to 1483. Since the beginning of the 30s of the last century, according to the project of the architect P. Pekshen, new tower church, and six years later the restoration of the altar was completed. They say you can climb the church tower, from there a panoramic view of the city opens.
Inside the church is small, from the main entrance to the altar there is a passage covered with a carpet, and on both sides of it there are benches.
An organ is installed above the main entrance. The current organ is a masterful mosaic of parts from various organs. The fact is that in the post-war period, several parts disappeared from the original organ, after which they were replaced with equivalent parts from the organs of other churches. So, over time, the organ was completely restored.
We go to another famous sight of Sigulda - to the white house. The White House was built in the 90s of the 19th century for Nikolai Kropotkin and his family, the owner of the Sigulda Manor. During the agrarian reform in 1920 the house was sold. Ernestine Poruks, the widow of the famous Latvian poet and romantic Janis Poruk, became his new mistress. She kept a boarding house in the house, which she gave another name to the White Castle.
Further, the White House has been renamed more than once and everything was under its roof. There was a gymnasium, Latvian and Russian secondary schools, during the Second World War the German army used it as a shelter, and the house was abandoned for a long time, until it was transferred to the management of the Administration national park Gaui. Currently, the initiative center for education in the field of nature and cultural environment “Balta pils” operates in the White House.
Near the White House are these shelter bunker, built in the 40s of the 20th century for shelter local residents from air raids. The bunkers have long been abandoned and, of course, there is nothing remarkable in them, except perhaps for the fact that they are now serving wintering grounds for bats.
Not far from the shelters 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 Sculptural group "Knight's Parade"(Skulpturu grupa ""Bruņinieku parade").
The inhabitants of Sigulda are very proud of this sculpture, well, firstly, they consider the sculpture a unique object, and secondly, they believe that it not only fits perfectly into the overall look of the city, but also complements it. Why do they think so? Now you will understand it!
If you look ahead from the Knights Parade sculpture and walk a few steps, then we will go out to the stone gates, stylized in the Middle Ages, and upon entering the gate, we will be greeted by stunning beauty New Sigulda Castle, built in the 19th century by the princes Kropotkin. And behind the castle, another amazing surprise awaits us - ruins of the old Medieval castle of the Livonian Castle built in the 1200s.
The medieval Sigulda Castle was once a majestic stone building, then a city was formed around it, and it was from this castle that the history of Sigulda began. Currently, only two observation towers and part of the defensive wall remain from the Medieval castle. These two castles are considered the most important sights of Sigulda, together forming. A separate article is devoted to these two castles on our blog, with detailed description and great photographs.
In the photo on the left is the New Sigulda Castle, on the right is the Sigulda Medieval Castle of the Livonian Order
On this, our walk around Sigulda came to an end. Then we went to the cable car and went on a hiking route to the Gauja National Park, visiting the Gutman cave and the Turaida Museum-Reserve with the Turaida Castle. But this is a completely different story, which we will talk about in the next article. So, after walking around Sigulda, do not stop, but continue your walk, you can join us, oh walking route along the Sigulda park-reserve, cable car, cave and castles.
What to do in Sigulda with children?
Sigulda is not only architectural sights and nature, that is, to a greater extent entertainment for adults, the city has also prepared a lot of entertainment for children of all ages. First of all, it is a big and famous Adventure Park "Tarzan". Tarzan, the largest amusement park in the Baltics, is visited by families from all over the region.
The park is located directly in the city, under the open sky. What is attractive about the park is that everyone, regardless of age, will find entertainment for themselves in it. We also wanted to visit this park, but there was not enough time, it is large and you need to allocate, perhaps, the whole day to visit it.
Tarzan Adventure Park has an obstacle course for children and adults with over 100 different obstacles placed in trees, a carousel lift, zip lines, a rollercoaster track, a catapult, a rotor, a giant tree swing, a climbing wall, large trampolines, velomobiles , riding on cameras, attractions - archery, as well as a separate place for picnics.
Adventure park "Tarzan" is located at the address: Sigulda, Peldu street, 1.
There is another park in Sigulda, this adventure park "Forest Cat". To get to this park, you will need to walk a little. The park is also suitable for families. Lesnoy Kot Amusement Park offers obstacles, cables, nets, bridges of various designs, swings, beams, ropes and ladders, as well as rope flights, a volleyball court, an Alpine-style guest house, a bath complex, a tavern and rooms for seminars.
IN winter period there is a ski track in the park. The adventure park "Lenoy Kot" is located at the address: Sigulda, Senchu street, 1.
Active holidays in Sigulda
In Sigulda, active recreation is also well developed. Of course, the parks listed above are also suitable for outdoor activities, but there are still separate places for this in Sigulda: the Sigulda Sports and Active Recreation Center and the bobsleigh and luge track.
Sigulda Sports and Active Leisure Center, offers its guests a 1.25 km track for roller skating, Nordic walking and running. Rollers and roller skis can be rented here. There is a ski track in the center. By the way, this is the only frozen track of this kind in Eastern Europe. There is also a giant swing with a 7-meter free fall in the sports and active recreation center.
The sports and active recreation center is located at the address: Sigulda, Pukyu street 4.
Sigulda luge and bobsleigh track is one of the rarest buildings of its kind in the world. Its length is 1420 meters, it has 16 turns and a 200-meter braking distance. The bobsleigh and luge track is located at the address: Sigulda, Šveices street, 13.
As you can see, Sigulda has prepared a lot of all kinds of places for recreation and entertainment for every taste and color for all ages. So, come to Sigulda, you will definitely not regret it. By personal experience I can say that, having visited Sigulda, we regretted only one thing, that we came to the city for just one day and did not have time to see and do so many things. Next time we will definitely come for a few days and make up for lost time.
Shops, cafes and restaurants in Sigulda
Almost all shops, cafes, restaurants and bars in Sigulda are located near the Auto, Railway station, near the station square. Further, walking around the city and along the routes of the Gauja Park, there will be practically no cafes and shops as such, so if you want to take food with you, think about it in advance. We didn’t think about our daily food, long walks exhausted us at the end, so then we didn’t even manage to buy water, we had to go hungry for half a day.
Large Alvy's grocery storeElvi located near the Auto and railway station at the address: Vidus iela 1, Sigulda. Food prices in Sigulda are the same as in stores in Riga, and in all of Latvia they are about the same. About food prices in Riga.
Where to stay in Sigulda?
For vacationers in Sigulda, hotels are provided both without stars, they cost from 20 € for a double room per day, and three, four and five-star hotels, costing from 57 € for a double room per day.
It is better to book rooms, especially during the high season, although in Sigulda it is better to book in advance at any time of the year. We always book hotels in any country in the world through
Beauties of Riga, we are going to Sigulda, which is remembered for its unique beauty of 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 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 the summer, a festival is held on the open stage 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 the Gauja National Park and the 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 in round tower the fortress was placed Observation deck(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. Narrow passages with stone steps evoking a medieval atmosphere lead to the observation deck of the fortress tower.
From the observation deck of the main tower of the Turaida Castle, from a height of more than 100 m above the river level, a beautiful view of the ancient river Gauja opens. 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.
This is an amazingly 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.
Silgud Castle, along with Wenden Castle, is one of the first medieval fortifications in Latvia, built by German crusaders. From the picturesque hill on which the walls of the castle are located, a beautiful view of the other two famous places Silgudy: Krimulda Manor and Turaida Castle.
Silgud Castle was built on the banks of the Gauja River in 1207 by order of the first Master of the Crusader Order. In honor of the victory over local resistance units, the area received a name that has survived to this day - Segewald (translated from German - “forest of victories”), remade in the Latvian style in Silguda.
During its history, the castle was repeatedly destroyed, so only fragments of its walls and ruins have survived to this day. A park was created here, where mass celebrations are held.
Coordinates: 57.16554600,24.85158900
Gauja National Park
The Gauja National Park is the most famous park in Latvia. It remains in the heart of everyone who even walked along its picturesque paths for even a minute.
The park is located not so far from Sigulda - in the Gauja river valley. This place is called "Latvian Switzerland" due to its amazing landscapes.
The park is home to a variety of birds, animals and plants. Gauja Park will amaze you with its landscapes, grottoes, caves, but besides all this, the park has many historical monuments- from rock paintings and burial mounds to medieval castles.
Coordinates: 57.26138500,25.11991600
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Gutman cave
Gutman's Cave is the most famous, most visited, most mentioned and the largest cave in Latvia.
A stream flows in the cave, which, according to legend, arose from the tears of the unfaithful wife of one of the local leaders: when the husband found out about his wife's infidelity, he ordered her to be buried alive. The woman burst into tears during the execution of the sentence and a stream appeared from her tears, which created this magnificent cave over the years. The legend does not end there, because years later an incurable disease came to this area, which terrorized this area for a long time, until the healer Gutman discovered that the stream flowing from the cave had healing properties. In honor of this doctor, the cave was named.
This picturesque cave has long attracted tourists. Unfortunately, many of them wanted to preserve for posterity the fact of their visit to the cave, so the walls of the cave are covered with various inscriptions, some of which date back to the 18th century.
Coordinates: 57.16557000,24.84583200
Turaida Castle was founded in 1214 by order of Bishop Albert. Unfortunately, the castle was completely destroyed, but now they are trying to restore its former grandeur.
This castle was built on the site of a wooden castle that was founded by the Crusaders. The castle was built slowly and was completed only in the 16th century. In 1776, the castle completely burned down. In its place, a house was built for the owner of these lands. The story of this masterpiece of architecture does not end there. Since the end of the 19th century, the remains of the castle have attracted more and more tourists who liked to walk among its ruins. Due to the increased interest of tourists in this area, it was decided to restore the castle. In 1973, archaeological excavations were carried out, thanks to which many ancient things were found, for example, an ancient brewery, a bathhouse and many stoves. The restoration of the castle is as slow as its construction.
Coordinates: 57.17843000,24.84805800
Old castle in Sigulda
The old castle in Sigulda began to be built by the crusaders in 1207 on the orders of the first master of the order, Winno von Rohrbach. Construction began soon after the defeat of the local population in the war with the crusaders. The first mention that the castle turned into a powerful, well-defended fortress dates back only to 1226.
Most likely, the construction took so long because the castle was regularly attacked by the local population, who wanted to regain control of the region. It is worth noting that during its long history, the castle changed its owners many times and it was often seriously damaged during the assaults.
To this day, only fragments of walls and several window openings have survived from the once great fortress, which in their style resemble the early Gothic style.
Coordinates: 57.16555600,24.84944400
Bobsleigh track in Sigulda
The bobsleigh track in Sigulda was built in 1986 and is still a very important sports facility. Many teams train on this track, including athletes from Russia, and anyone can overcome this track.
The length of the track is 1420 meters, including the braking distance. The track consists of 16 turns, the height difference is about 120 meters, and the slope of some slopes reaches 15%. The maximum speed that professional athletes can develop on the track fluctuates around 125 kilometers per hour, and mere mortals can accelerate to about 80 kilometers per hour.
In 2010, a full-scale reconstruction of the route was completed.
Coordinates: 57.15221100,24.83858600
sigulda church
The Lutheran Church of St. Berthold in Sigulda was built in 1225 by order of the ambassador of the Pope, who was sent here to resolve disputes between the Bishop of Rome and the Livonian Order. The church was moved to its current location at the end of the 15th century, but was destroyed during the Livonian War. Today's church was built at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries. The pointed bell tower in the form of a tower was added in 1930; an observation deck with a panoramic view of the city operates on it. During the Soviet years, the church of St. Berthold was the only functioning church in the area.
Coordinates: 57.16246400,24.85214200
New castle in Sigulda
The castle was built in 1881 on the site of an ancient stone house where the owners of this estate lived.
After the end of the First World War, the Latvian Press Association took over the management of the castle, which turned the castle into a rest home for writers, journalists, and poets. The reconstruction of the castle lasted about two years and ended in 1937. Many famous Latvian artists worked on the interiors of this building: Nikalas Strunke, Pēteris Ozoliņš and others.
After World War II, the castle came under the jurisdiction of the USSR Ministry of Health, which turned the castle into a sanatorium. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Sigulda City Council began its work in this building, and since 2003 the Regional Council has also been located here.