Valmiera Castle
| Valmiera Castle | |
|---|---|
| Vidzeme, Latvia | |
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Ruins of Valmiera Castle
| |
| Site information | |
| Type | Castle |
| Condition | Ruins |
| Location | |
| Valmiera Castle Location within Latvia | |
| Coordinates | 57°32′20″N 25°25′42″E / 57.53889°N 25.42833°E |
| Site history | |
| Built | 13th century |
| Built by | Livonian Order |
| Materials | boulders, brick |
| Demolished | 1702 |
Valmiera Castle (Latvian: Valmieras pils, German: Schloß Wolmar) was a castle in Valmiera, in the Vidzeme region of Latvia. Today its ruins lie in the city centre.
History
The medieval castle was built on the site of an old Latgalian fortification during the 13th century by the Livonian Order as an Ordensburg. It protected the right bank of the river Gauja. The castle had a certain political importance since it hosted Landtags (i.e. assemblies of representatives) of the Livonian Confederation. The fortress was burnt down by Russian troops during the Great Northern War in 1702 and was subsequently used as a quarry for local residents to collect building materials.[1]
The former castle grounds today contain a museum and a shop and is used as an open-air venue for concerts and celebrations.[1]
References
- Back to citation occurrence 1.0 Back to citation occurrence 1.1 "Ruins of Valmiera Livonian Order Castle". Enter Gauja. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
External links
- Media related to Valmiera Castle ruins at Wikimedia Commons