A common topic is sigulda. Sigulda, Latvia

Sigulda is a picturesque town in Latvia, located 53 km north-east of Riga. The amazing nature and architectural structures attract tourists every year. While in Sigulda, it is necessary to visit local castles, natural monuments, a ski resort and an aerodium. And also visit the largest cave in Latvia - Gutmanja.

In the article we will tell you about all the sights of this amazing town and suggest the best route that will suit tourists who have come to Latvia for one day.

The city is located on the banks of the Gauja River, where the National Park is located. Excursions to castles and palaces of the Middle Ages, nature reserves and parks will ensure a relaxing holiday and an unforgettable atmosphere.

Turaida structure

This architectural structure from the Middle Ages attracts the attention of many tourists. The castle was founded in 1214, but unfortunately it was completely destroyed in a fire. Since the middle of the 20th century, active restoration work has been going on and today the northern, southern and observation towers have been restored. On the territory of the castle there is a museum and a sculpture park. The most popular complex is located 4 km from Riga at Turaidas iela 10, Sigulda, Latvija.

Old Sigulda Castle

The building was built by the crusaders in 1207... The beginning of the history of the city is connected with it. Due to constant assaults, most of the building was destroyed. Nevertheless, the architectural monument of the Gothic style deserves your attention. The building is located at Pils iela 18, Sigulda, Latvija.

New Sigulda Castle

A neo-Gothic monument, erected in 1207. Today, the city administration and the park are located here, where mass festivities are held. You can visit the castle at Pils iela 16, Sigulda, Latvija.

Gutman's cave

The largest cave in Latvia, from the base of which flows a stream of crystal clear water. The name of the cave was given in honor of the doctor Gutman, who discovered that the water in the spring has medicinal properties. Address: Gutmanis Cave Gaujas iela, Sigulda, Latvija.

Ski resort

One of the most famous holiday destinations for tourists from all over the world, located 53 km from Riga. The resort can be visited at any time of the year. In summer, visitors are given the opportunity to ride in a hot air balloon or jump with a bungee. In autumn you can enjoy the nature of the resort, and in winter you can go skiing.

What to see if passing through?

Sigulda can be reached in three ways:

• By bus from Riga... The journey takes 2 hours, 6 buses a day.
• By train from Riga... The journey takes 1 hour 20 minutes. 10 trains run daily.
• By car... The journey takes 40-60 minutes.

If you are passing through the city of Sigulda, then in addition to local attractions, you will be interested in the unique places of the city.

Dine Hill

The architectural monument was created in 1985. it a sculpture park with figures of heroes of Latvian folklore... The park has a wonderful atmosphere that attracts tourists from all over the world.

Cable car

This is an air cable route across the Gauja River. The length of the cable is 1020 km at an altitude of 40 m above the river. Within a few minutes of the trip, you will have a beautiful view of the city, picturesque nature and attractions. For fans of extreme sports, there is the opportunity to try jumping with a rope from the cable car, which stops in the middle of the river.

Gauja National Park

The park was established in 1973. There are about 500 historical monuments on the territory: churches, estates, stone palaces. There is a nature reserve here, a walk along the trails of which will take about 2 hours. But it's worth it.

Aerodium

A unique wind tunnel for thrill-seekers. Those who wish can literally soar in the air without belay or parachutes. A powerful jet of air will keep them high. You just need to go through a short briefing.

Classic route for one day

For those who do not have the opportunity to stay in the city for a long time, special routes have been drawn up. A map with the route will be provided free of charge at the tourist information center at a train station of your choice.

If you want to fully enjoy the city and see the main attractions, then take the longest route:

1. First, visit the Gauja National Park. Ancient churches, rich estates and a nature reserve will not leave you indifferent.
2. Next, head to Turaida Complex, stroll along the paths of the park and learn more about Turaida Castle. Climb to the observation deck in the circular tower and enjoy incredible views of the city.
3. From there, take a cable car that crosses the entire valley.
4. The final point of the trip will be the Gutmana cave.

To have time to go through all the points, it is better to come to the city early in the morning. You can go back to Riga in the evening using any transport convenient for you.

Summing up, I would like to note that it is advisable to allocate 2-3 days for the city to visit all the sights and attractive places of the Latvian town. Sigulda will appeal to everyone: both those who like a calm and quiet holiday, and those who like extreme and even danger. You just need to come to Latvia and decide to choose entertainment to your liking.

Beauties of Riga, we are going to Sigulda, which is remembered for the unique beauty of nature and diverse cultural and historical heritage. On all sides, the city is surrounded by picturesque forests, in the lush foliage of which medieval castles are hidden, as traces of a bygone era. From a bird's eye view, Sigulda seems to be a tiny area of \u200b\u200bcivilization among the bright green landscapes of natural gauja Nature Reserve.

The surrounding landscapes have made Sigulda a resort city with a winter sports center.

It is here that Olympic bobsledders glide over the snow-capped hills of the valley.

The Sigulda route is the only one of its kind in the entire Baltic region.

Then we went to the Sigulda Castle with a majestic stone fence. Not far from the entrance there 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 attractions of Sigulda and is called it.

The park houses the Kropotkin estate and the old Sigulda castle.

New Sigulda Palaceis a neo-Gothic two-story building with a four-tiered tower. The construction of the New Castle was carried out under the Kropotkin princes 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 across the moat, and the ticket office is located here.

Passing through the gates of the tower, we find ourselves on the territory where in ancient times a stormy medieval life was in full swing.

Now there is peace and quiet. And in summer, on the open stage, a festival is held 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.

First, we will see the Gutman Caves, which belongs to the Turaida Park.

The walls of the cave are formed from dense red sandstone, which formed about 410 million years ago.

Its depth is 18.8 meters, width is 12 meters. The cave is famous for the graffiti on the walls, the oldest of which date from 1668 and 1677.

A clean and cold stream flows out of the cave, which flows into the Gauja, which flows nearby. Several interesting legends are associated with the cave. One of them says that the cave appeared when Rindaug, the leader of the Liv tribe, after learning about his wife's infidelity, immured her on the shore. We learned the exciting continuation of the legend of the Turaida Rose in a picturesque sculpture park.

And finally, before us is a monument of history and architecture - 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, an observation deck (at a height of 38 meters) was placed in the round tower of the fortress, from which a fabulous view of the surrounding area opens.

The tower, erected in the 13th century, was built so that the inhabitants of the fortress could watch the approach of enemies. The entrance to the tower was originally arranged at a height of 10 meters, which was reached by an attached wooden staircase. After that, the stairs were burned.

The existing entrance to the tower was equipped in the middle of the 20th century at the site of a hole in the ancient wall. Narrow passages with stone steps, which evoke 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. It is the most winding and beautiful river in Latvia. Its valley is the deepest in the Baltics, near Sigulda it reaches 70-80 m depth.

Tower-shaped south building

Western Corps.

After seeing the surroundings from a bird's eye view, we walked through the picturesque Sculpture Park dedicated to Latvian folk songs.

The walls and towers conceal 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.

In the park you can see the historical (18th century) and quite picturesque Turaida Lutheran Church.

In the park of folk songs there are sculptures made of boulders.

The sculptor is Indulis Ranki.

It is an amazingly small town. During the excursion, we examined the main attractions and were forced to leave after a few hours, we really wanted to stay for a few days to wander around the surroundings, 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 pleasant to present to friends and family.

We felt the flavor of the Middle Ages in the Hansa restaurant located in Pskov, where we went to taste dishes prepared according to the best recipes in Europe. At the end of the trip, it was pleasant to discuss the route of the excursion in a pleasant, colorful atmosphere. Everyone, without exception, liked the fireworks in honor and, buildings, squares, bridges and monuments turn into unique works of light art.

The history of modern Sigulda as a city began between the 16th and 18th centuries. Then, on the route of the future railway connecting Pskov with Riga, Sigulda gradually turned into a staging post and a resort at the same time. At the end of the 19th century, the Russian owner of local lands, Prince Kropotkin, handed over Sigulda to the wealthy rulers of Riga, who built their country estates here.

How to get there

Sigulda can be reached by bus from Riga (2 hours; 6 buses per day) or by train from Riga (1 hour 15 minutes; 10 trains daily), Valmiera (1 hour 15 minutes), Ligatne (10 minutes) and Sesis (50 minutes ).

sights

Turaida Castle (4 km from Sigulda) is considered the main historical and architectural landmark of Sigulda. It was originally created in the 13th century by order of the Riga bishop Albert, but having existed for more than 5 centuries, it was completely destroyed in a fire. Since the middle of the 20th century, restoration work has been actively carried out and today part of the walls and 3 towers have been restored: the northern, southern and observation towers. An open-air museum and a sculpture park operate on the territory of Turaida Castle.

The new Sigulda castle and palace originally belonged to the family of Count Borham, but later passed to the inheritance of the Kropotkin princely family. After the end of the First World War, the Latvian Journalists' Society was located in the palace building. Today the city administration is located here.

On the way between Sigulda and Turaida Castle there is the largest cave in Latvia - Gutmanis, from which a small stream with healing spring water flows. According to the legend, the water in the stream is Gutmani's tears, which have healing and revitalizing properties.

Krimulda Palace and the ruins are 800 meters from the Gutmana cave along and up the serpentine. The cable car brings tourists here every half hour. Sigulda has the only cable car in Latvia that connects the hills of Sigulda and Krimulda in the Gauja valley. It was opened in January 1969 at an altitude of 1060 meters above the valley. One-way travel will cost LVL 2 (as of July 2011). On Dain Hill, created in 1985 in honor of the 150th anniversary of Krishtianis Baron, you can visit the sculpture park, where works depicting heroes of Latvian folk tales are presented. In the middle of the 16th century, the master of the Livonian Order, Kettler, presented the estate to Nurmuizu. Today this estate is no less than any castle in size and deserves a tourist inspection.

The Reed Square is Sigulda's calling card. It was built in 2007 as a symbol of the hospitality of the locals, who have been making walking sticks since the 19th century to help tourists climb the hills of the Gauja river valley.

A classic tourist route in Sigulda would look like this: walk along the forest footpaths to Turaida. From there, take a cable car ride through the entire valley, and then go around each trail of the Turaida village and castle, before returning to the river valley and visiting the Gutmana cave.

Less than an hour's drive from Riga, Sigulda is a great place to relax from the bustle of the city. Here travelers can enjoy stunning landscapes, ancient castles and exciting adventures.

In Sigulda, anyone can overcome the treetop obstacle course.

In the open-air adventure park (by the way, the largest in the Baltic countries!) You can not only walk 20 m above the ground, but also go down the hill along a toboggan track, and also do other outdoor activities

Spread your wings and take to the sky by visiting. Both children and adults will receive a sea of \u200b\u200bpositive emotions!

After 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 blocks and by candlelight enjoy authentic intoxicating drinks that were held in high esteem by medieval knights.

Sigulda is one of the few in the world that is open to everyone. 1420 m of descent, 16 bends and a stopping distance of 200 m - you can check all these parameters personally: in the winter at the vuchko, in the summer - at the "frog".

In Sigulda, you can ride on the only cable car in the Baltic States: you will develop a speed of up to 60 km / h and admire the landscape of the ancient river Gauja passing below. In addition, rubber band jumps from the cable car are offered - free fall from a height of 43 m!

# 7 Admire the views of the ancient river Gauja

Climb Paradise Hill or elsewhere for breathtaking views, or hike along the many nature trails to discover treasures never before seen!

# 8 Sleep at the glamping

Enjoy peace in one of eight Klaukas glamping tents: bird symphonies, morning dew walks and stargazing will energize you.

This is just a small part of what Sigulda and its surroundings have to offer. If the weekend is coming up and you want to travel in Latvia,.

As a last resort, you can just get some inspiration here!

Sigulda is a small town located 51 kilometers from the Latvian capital. People come 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 attracts 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 gorgeous nature in Sigulda, there are many architectural and historical monuments, medieval castles, churches, parks and other interesting places of interest.

In this article, we will take a leisurely stroll around Sigulda and see the main and most interesting sights of the city in our opinion. As we said earlier, Sigulda is a small town, you can easily walk around it in just an hour. This city is beautiful, impressive and kind of pacifying calm. In places, especially sitting on a bench in a cane park, Sigulda resembles the small towns of Bavaria ().

Our walk in Sigulda started from station square (Stacijas laukums). It was here that we came from Riga by train, and buses also come here. How to get from Riga to Sigulda and back on your own.

The station square is small in size, it contains playground and Clock "Laima"... 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 at.

Walking around Sigulda, we came across squares and natural parks every now and then

Walking along Pils street we came to a sight, square of Keys... Three Keys Square is a small piece of land with three huge iron keys resting on a stone wall, an arch with a bench to rest and a decorative bridge nearby. The Three Keys Monument symbolizes the three historical centers of the surroundings of the Gauja National Park and their unity - Sigulda, Turaida and Krimulda. The square was opened in 2007 in honor of the 800th anniversary of Sigulda.

Walking further, we came across the following attraction of the city - cane park... Sigulda Walking Stick 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 archives of the city of the 19th century, which say that walking in the rural mountainous area definitely requires a cane, which previously could be purchased from any street boy. Nowadays, 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 are sold in various sizes, from large to small.

Trostey Park, a small green park with benches and sculptures.

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 a sight, but it's still beautiful.

Passing to the opposite side of Raiņa iela street we go to small lake.

There is (Siguldas Evangeliski Luteriska baznica) near the lake. Sigulda Lutheran Church location address: Baznicas iela 2.

In the old days, on the site of the present church, there was another church called the Church of St. Bertulis (Berthold). The first evidence of the church dates back to 1483. From the beginning of the 30s of the last century, according to the project of the architect P. Pekšen, a new tower of the church was built, and six years later the restoration of the altar was completed. They say you can climb the tower of the church, from there you can see a panoramic view of the city.

Inside the church is small, from the main entrance to the altar there is a passage covered with a carpeted path, and on both sides of it there are benches.

An organ is installed above the central entrance. The current organ is a masterful mosaic of parts of 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 organs of other churches. So, over time, the organ was completely restored.

We go to another famous sight of Sigulda - 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 estate. The house was sold during the agrarian reform in 1920. Its new owner was Ernestine Poruks, the widow of the famous Latvian poet and romanticist Janis Poruk. She kept a boarding house in the house, which she gave another name to the White Castle.

Further, the White House was 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 refuge, and the house was abandoned for a long time until it was transferred to the economic management of the Gauja National Park Administration. Currently, the White House has an initiative center for education in the field of nature and cultural environment "Balta pils".

Near the White House there are such bunker shelter, built in the 40s of the 20th century to shelter local residents from air raids. The bunkers have long been abandoned and of course there is nothing remarkable about them, except that now they serve wintering places for bats.

Not far from the shelters there 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 ").

Residents 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 appearance of the city, but also complements it. Why do they think so? You will understand this now!

If you look ahead from the sculpture of the Knight's Parade and walk a few steps, then we will go to the stone gate, 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 Livonian castleerected in the 1200s.

The medieval Sigulda castle was once a majestic stone structure, 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 landmarks of Sigulda, forming together. A separate article is devoted to these two locks on our blog, with a detailed description and great photos.

In the photo on the left is the New Sigulda Castle, on the right is the Sigulda Medieval Castle of the Livonian Order

This concludes our walk in Sigulda. Then we went to the cable car and hiked to the Gauja National Park, visiting the Gutmanja cave and the Turaida Museum-Reserve with the Turaida Castle. But this is a completely different story, which we will tell about in the next article. So, after walking around Sigulda, do not stop, but continue your walk, you can with us, about the walking route through the Sigulda park-reserve, cable car, cave and castles.

What to do in Sigulda with children?

Sigulda is not only about architectural sights and nature, that is, more entertainment for adults, the city has also prepared a lot of entertainment for children of all ages. First of all, it is big and famous Adventure Park "Tarzan"... Tarzan, the largest amusement park in the Baltic, is visited by families from all over the area.

The park is located directly in the city, in the open air. What is attractive about the park is that everyone, regardless of age, will find entertainment in it. We also wanted to visit this park, but we didn’t have enough time, it’s big and you need to allocate, perhaps, a whole day to visit it.

Tarzan Adventure Park has an obstacle course for children and adults with over 100 different tree-mounted obstacles, a carousel lift, trolls, a roller coaster track, a catapult, a rotor, a giant tree swing, a climbing wall, large trampolines, velomobiles , riding on cameras, rides - archery, as well as a separate place for picnics.

The adventure park "Tarzan" is located at the address: Sigulda, Peldu street, 1.

There is one more 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. The Forest Cat amusement park offers obstacles, ropes, nets, bridges of various designs, swings, beams, ropes and ladders, as well as rope flights, a volleyball court, a guest house built in an Alpine style, a bath complex, a pub and premises for seminars.

In winter, a ski track is open in the park. The Lena Cat Adventure Park is located at the address: Sigulda, Sencu street, 1.

Active recreation in Sigulda

Sigulda is also well developed for active recreation. Of course, the parks listed above are also suitable for outdoor activities, but still there are separate places for this in Sigulda: the Sigulda Sports and Active Rest Center and a bobsleigh and toboggan track.

Sigulda Sports and Recreation Center, offers its guests a 1.25 kilometer track for rollerblading, Nordic walking and running. Inline skis and inline skis can be rented here. In the center there is a distance ski trail. 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 center of sports and active recreation.

The sports and active recreation center is located at the address: Sigulda, Puku street, 4.

Sigulda bobsleigh track is one of the rarest of its kind in the world. Its length is 1,420 meters, it has 16 bends and a 200 meter stopping distance. The bobsleigh and luge track is located at Sigulda, Švejses 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. From 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 catch up.

Shops, cafes and restaurants in Sigulda

Almost all shops, cafes, restaurants and bars in Sigulda they are located near the Auto, railway station, near the station square. Further, walking around the city, and 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, worry about it in advance. We did not think about our daily food, long walks exhausted us at the end, so then we could not even buy water, we had to go hungry for half a day.

Large alvy's grocery store (Elvi) 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 approximately the same. About the prices of food in Riga.

Where to stay in Sigulda?

At the service of 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, costing from 57 € for a double room per day.

Book rooms, especially in the high season, although in Sigulda at any time of the year during the high season, it is better to book in advance. We always book hotels in any country in the world through