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Popular Things To Do | Other Things To Do Tips | All Tips (43) Cesis Medieval Castle was built in the early 13th century by the German "warrior monks" known as the Livonian Order, and the town of Cesis was later built around the castle. Cesis castle was the residence of the Order's Master for over three hundred years.
The castle was severely damaged in several wars, it was rebuilt, fortified and expanded a few times - but during the Great Northern War in 1703 it was almost completely ruined by the Russian army, and never rebuilt.
This is Latvia's best preserved castle ruins - parts of the ruins are currently under restoration, and covered in scaffolding.
The castle is part of Cesis Castle Complex - pay the entrance fee to Cesis Museum of History and Art and you also get to take a closer look at the Medieval Castle.
Opening hours: Tuesday - Sunday 10 - 18
Entrance prices:
Adults: 2 Ls
Students, Seniors, Children: 1 Ls
Family (2 adults + children): 4 Ls
Guided tours are available for 15 Ls, or 25 Ls for a tour of both the castle and the Museum of History and Art. Leave a Comment Address: Pils laukums 11
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Cesis Museum of History and Art is situated in the centre of Cesis, by the old castle ruins and the castle garden, which are also part of the Cesis Castle Complex - your entrance ticket to the museum will also allow you to take a closer look at the old castle ruins and the garden.
The museum has since 1949 been located in Cesis New Castle, which was built in the late 18th century at the site of the old castle's defence gates. The museum was founded in 1925, and is one of the oldest museums in Latvia outside of Riga.
Cesis Museum of History and Art is dedicated to the history of the Cesis area - and there's also some local art on display. I honestly didn't find the museum to be all that interesting - perhaps because it was such a lovely, sunny day and I'd rather be outdoors, or perhaps because the displays are in Latvian only...:o) There are fact sheets available in English, though.
But: the view from the top of the castle tower is *excellent* - and the museum is actually worth a visit for the view alone!
Opening hours: Tuesday - Sunday 10 - 18
Entrance prices:
Adults: 2 Ls
Students, Seniors, Children: 1 Ls
Family (2 adults + children): 4 Ls
Guided tours are available for 15 Ls, or 25 Ls for both the museum and the old castle. Leave a Comment Address: Pils laukums 9Directions: By the old castle ruins and the castle garden, near the central square of the town.
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The Castle Park (not to be confused with the Castle Garden, which you can only access when you buy a ticket for the castle complex) is situated, not surprisingly, near the castle ruins... :o) Parts of the old fortification system, a 18-metre high mound, can still be seen in the Castle Park.
The large park was laid out in 1812, with the castle ruins on top of the hill towering above the park. It's a beautiful park, with winding paths among the huge old trees, and a large (but somewhat murky, so don't look too closely at the water;o) pond, with ducks and a couple of swans, which adds to the romantic setting.... :o)
Various events take place in the park during summer. Leave a Comment Directions: Near the castle ruins and the Museum of History and Art.
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Jana Baznica, St. John's Church, is the large, grey, slightly tired-looking stone church in the centre of Cesis. St. John's Church was built in the late 13th century, its original Gothic appearance has since been altered, and the current tower dates back to ca 1850. This was the Dome Church of the Livonian Order (aka the German Warrior Monks;o) - which had a major stronghold in Cesis. The tombs of several masters of the Livonian Order are found in the church.
There's a sundial on the southern side of the church.
It's supposed to be possible to climb the church tower, we didn't know this when we visited (Entrance fee 1 Ls adults, 0.50 Ls children) - but you'll get the best view of town (and also of St. John's Church) from The Lademacher Tower, which is part of the Cesis Castle Complex. Leave a Comment Address: Liela Skolas iela 8Directions: In the middle of the Old Town - you can't really miss it.
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May Park is a nice little park near the town's main square, behind Hotel Cesis. We came across this park on our way to the Castle Park - and when we saw the café/pizzeria overlooking the park we kind of regretted having just had lunch, it looked like a great place to enjoy a meal. (Don't know anything about the food, but the setting seemed pretty excellent!;o)
In May Park you'll find lots of benches (and not a lot of people) - there's a lovely, large pond with ducks and a pair of black swans, and even a fountain. There's also a large playground right next to the park. A nice place to relax from the hard work of sightseeing and ice cream eating!:op Leave a Comment Address: Behind hotel Cesis, near the central square.
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The Lademacher Tower is another part of Cesis Castle Complex - the tower sits in a corner of Cesis new castle: when the new castle was built, in the late 18th century, the end wall was joined to one of the remaining fortification towers of the old castle.
The New Castle was altered ca 1820, and at the same time the second and third floors of the Lademacher Tower were added, built to look like Gothic towers.
We almost missed out on the tower, as the doors leading up there were locked, and we thought the tower had been closed off - but going up there *was* permitted, and you really should climb up the rather steep stairs, as the view from the top of the tower is great...!:o)
The tower isn't that tall - and you wouldn't think the view is particularly good, but the landscape here is pretty flat, so you'll have excellent views of the castle ruins, Cesis town - and the surrounding Gauja National Park.
Opening hours: Tuesday - Sunday 10 - 18
Entrance prices: (for the entire castle complex, including the Museum of History and Art)
Adults: 2 Ls
Students, Seniors, Children: 1 Ls
Family (2 adults + children): 4 Ls Leave a Comment Address: Pils laukums 9
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This is the city’s most recent and largest “parade” square, and it is an important part of the city today. The square took on its current appearance in 1939.
On the middle of the square The Cçsis Victory Monument takes it`s place. The basic theme of the monument is: a sun rising from the flames of battle. The Soviet regime blew up the monument in 1951. In the late 1990s the monument was restored, and it was unveiled for a second time in 1998. It has become the dominant factor of the city centre and the city’s pride and joy. Leave a Comment Address: Rigas 7, Cesis
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Cesis Medieval Castle (13th ? 16th) represents not only the most popular attraction in the historic centre of Cesis, but also the most impressive and best-preserved complex of ruins in Latvia. Cesis Castle was one of the Livonian Order?s strongest fortresses in the Baltics, and the residence of the masters of the Order.
Excursion booking: Cesis Tourit Information Centre, ph: 00 371 4121815, Pils laukums 11, ph 00 371 4122615. www.pils.cesis.lv Leave a Comment
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In Cesis Castle Park, you can still see one of the last vestiges of Communism in Latvia, Cesis's Lenin statue kept in a wooden coffin-like box in a corner of the park. Leave a Comment
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Livu Laukums was the original market square in the half of the 13th century, with the church, graveyard and the Riga Gate in the town wall. The renovated square has a fountain, at the former location of a well, famous for its clear waters. Leave a Comment Address: Cesis
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