Sigulda Medieval Castle

About this place

Sigulda Medieval Castle is a stone ruin on the left bank of the Gauja Valley, in the town of Sigulda, about 53 km from Riga and nicknamed the «Switzerland of Vidzeme». One of the oldest castles in the country, it offers an easy way into the valley, with its walls, open-air stage and forests that colour in autumn. It was built between 1207 and 1209 under Wenno, master of the Brothers of the Sword, and was one of the order's first four convent seats. From 1432 it served as the seat of the Livonian Order's land marshal. The Livonian governor Jan Chodkiewicz lived here from 1566 to 1578, during the Livonian War. The north tower and chapel walls were conserved from the 1960s to the 1980s, and it is a national monument. You enter a court ringed by fieldstone walls, with rows of timber benches for a summer stage before a lone wall with tall windows. A round tower with a timber lookout roof rises nearby and can be climbed. A red brick cross marks a gable, thick forest surrounds the site and the newer manor stands close by, with its small towers and wall. It is 51 km in a straight line from Riga, reached by train and bus. Turaida Castle is close, as are the Krimulda ruins across the valley, so give it a day. Stairs can be narrow, so take care with children. An opera festival runs in summer, so check the programme, as shows may affect entry. Wear comfortable shoes for the stepped paths.