Eastern and Central Europe (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

LATVIA 87

Row of wooden and stone houses

in the Old Town, Cēsis

the War of Independence

(1918–20). The Cēsis castle

complex is the town’s major

attraction. Visitors are given

builders’ helmets and lanterns

for the tour of the 15th- to

16th-century towers of the

Cēsis 8

90 km (56 miles) NE of Rīga.

* 18,000. £ from Rīga. c from

Rīga. n Pils laukums 9, 6412 1815.

http://www.cesis.lv.

One of Latvia’s oldest towns,

Cēsis has winding streets lined

with attractive wooden and

stone buildings. It became a

member of the Hanseatic

League in 1383 and grew into

an important trading centre.

The town served as the head-

quarters of the Brotherhood

of the Sword, and later the

Livonian Order, for much of

the period between 1237 and

1561. In 1577, Ivan the Terrible
      took Cēsis. Further damage
      was inflicted during the Great
      Northern War and Cēsis also
      witnessed fierce fighting during

KEY

Railway station

Visitor information

Cable car

Campsite

Viewpoint

Major road

Minor road

Other road

Railway

Park boundary

VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

40 km (25 miles) NE of Rīga. £

from Rīga. @ n Gauja National

Park Visitors’ Centre, Baznicas

iela 7, Sigulda, 6797 4006. 8

guided canoe trips organ ized by

Campo in Rīga (2922 2339) and

Makars in Sigulda (2924 4948).

 http://www.gnp.gov.lv

Lake Āraiši

The remains of a rudimentary fortress were

found on the lake bed. A lakeside reconstruction

re-creates life here in the 9th and 10th centuries.

13th-century Old Castle.

The pink New Castle,

built in 1777, is home to the

Museum of Art and History

(Cēsu vēstures un mākslas

muzejs). The highlight is the

well-presented “Treasures

of Cēsis” exhibition. Cēsis

Exhibition House (Cēsu izstāžu

nams), a renovated 18th-

century coach house, stands

on the square in front of the

New Castle.

To the north, the Castle

Park is a popular place to

relax in the summer. Other

attractions include the 19th-

century Cēsis Brewery,

although the beer is now

brewed outside the town.

Museum of Art and History

Pils laukums 9. & includes access

to the Old and New Castles.

Līgatne Education and

Recreation Centre

This centre hosts wildlife,

such as brown bears and

European bison. Its foot-

paths and motorable

tracks wind past the spa-

cious animal enclo sures.

Zvārte Rock, a 35-m (115-ft) high

sandstone outcrop, boasts excellent

views. It is locally believed to be a

haunt of witches and demons.

Cēsis

Once the seat of the German

crusaders, Cēsis is a romantic

town with a lakeside park.

Gaujasmala

Līgatne

Leriķi

Kārļi

Raiskums

Drabeši

Āraiši

Augšligatne

CĒSIS

Cīrulīši

Ga

uja

Am

ata

Līg

at

ne