Let's start with ZPU Sigulda-1, because it is perishable. Let's leave the Ligatnen yummy for later.

Strange as it may seem, the ZPU troops of the Republic of LSSR Civil Defense Sigulda-1 is located in the city of Sigulda (a little more than 50 km in a straight line from the center of Riga). It was supposed to complement the ZPU Līgatne. Part of the party leadership was supposed to hide in Ligatne, and part - in Sigulda.

The object is located on the territory of an abandoned military unit. The bunker itself is located under the main ground level, on the surface it is hidden by a large metal hangar, which is located on an embankment about one and a half meters high, that is, between the actual ground surface and the "ceiling" of the bunker, about two to three meters. Until 2015, HF was abandoned. Then the Laser Tag Club bought it and organized several playgrounds on its territory (but games are not held in ZPU, but it seems that the owners sold almost all the metal from there).

We are waiting for the working staff of the club to leave for lunch, we drop into the territory and look for a slope.

So what do we have inside here? Shabby walls and an almost complete absence of anything iron. Lights are on in two lights. Not good, but we'll see.

The table is saved! Important members of the party were supposed to sit behind him and discuss what to do when the blast waves above demolish the houses of mere mortals.

Well, other rooms in which at least something has been preserved:

And this is the second entrance / exit from the ZPU, leading to a parking lot with a helipad:

Here, most likely, there was an inventory warehouse:

This wall in the former diesel station deserves a separate comment. According to the "legends", there should be a secret passage behind the backfill leading to the Līgatne ZPU. I doubt about Līgatne (nevertheless, it’s 17 km to get there in a straight line), but Sigulda-2 can definitely drive in ZPU. I will talk about it below.

Now we get out and walk a couple of kilometers to ZPU Sigulda-2. There is an operating hotel on the surface of this communication object. The bunker itself is partly abandoned, but it has been preserved in good condition: there is a diesel generator, all hermetic doors, FVU, electrical wiring, inscriptions on the doors, civil defense posters, etc. All entrances are closed, except for the entrance from the side of the ravine.

To my great regret, already in the first ZPU, the battery in my camera began to run low. And all that I managed to shoot in Sigulda-2 is the process of breaking through the masonry from the foam block.

Therefore, you only have to talk about what is inside. The bunker is a one-sector one-story flat structure, approximately 30 by 45 meters in size. The central corridor runs through the entire bunker. There are 2 main entrances, one of which branches into 3 entrances, including the one in the ravine. The object was one of the nodes of the secure terrestrial communication line of the Iskra-1 system (object 535), the Riga-Sigulda-Valmiera-Valka-Pskov segment.
Who will be there after me, be sure to take a picture of him, please! :)

And now we proceed to a full inspection of Līgatne ZPU. It is located 67.5 km in a straight line from the center of Riga. The ZPU had the name "Object Boarding House", since a boarding house was built above it. During the USSR, only the military with high ranks could get a ticket to it.

Historical reference:
In 1968, a decision was made to build a shelter under the boarding house under construction of the fourth main department of the Ministry of Health of the LSSR. The cost was supposed to be 4 million Soviet rubles, but all 10 came out. Construction took 13 years.
The object carried out two functions: it was a communication center and a shelter for the highest echelon of power in the LSSR. After 5 years, the functions of the communication center were transferred to the object 535 introduced in Sigulda, the communication equipment in the "Pension" object was dismantled and it had one function left - a spare command post for the leaders of the republic.
By 1982 all health complex boarding house together with an underground shelter was put into operation. The boarding house object itself was classified and until the restoration of the Independence of the Republic of Latvia in 1991 was under the patronage of the 8th and 15th departments of the KGB of the USSR.

Now the boarding house is open to everyone, and tours are led in ZPU. But there are no tours, so it was decided to coordinate with one very good Latvian friend and go there after the tourists leave. We arrived at the place in the afternoon and began to wait for the right hour. We pass the time and walk around the territory. It becomes clear that there is a really large object underground: there are seven ventilation shafts, and some of them are located 30-40 meters from the building. Interestingly, most of them are covered with bushes or trees so that they are not visible from the satellite.

VSH from the residential part of the bunker (it remains closed, only the premises where people were supposed to work are available):

Lice from the FVU node and the dining room:

Diesel VS:

The ZPU has three entrances / exits: from the side of the car park, from the side of the helipad, disguised as an outdoor drained pool, and inside the boarding house. Let's look at the one next to the parking lot.

We will get there (the herm rests on a screwed bolt), but later.

More surroundings:

A swimming pool that acts as a heliport (photo from the Internet):

We go inside at half past seven. We are met by a curved corridor that leads to the main part of the bunker. There is also a room with diesel generators in it, but, unfortunately, it was powerfully closed.

First germs inside. The photo was taken in the lock chamber, where the decontamination of the clothes of those who came from outside should be carried out.

My pens!

Having orientated ourselves in space and conjured over the switches that turn on the light and the locks, we go to the entrance located inside the boarding house in order to imagine that we are important members of the LSSR party, who were alerted and taken to the ZPU.

It is worth bringing a map of the object. "The passage to the second bunker" is the entrance to the residential part of the ZPU, where the entrance leads from the side of the helipad. The area of ​​the residential part is half of the area of ​​the working part of the ZPU. Impressive scale!

Hm. So let's transform! From Riga to Līgatne ZPU, General Maris Balodis and a radio operator with a security clearance, Kristine Berzins, arrived on an alarm signal!
We go down...

Opening hermetic doors...

And we understand that things are bad: only we were able to get to the ZPU. There is not a soul in the huge underground bunker. We have a big responsibility!

Let's go around the bunker clockwise, looking into the rooms.

We check what the state has left us:

Using one of these phones, you can call the Kremlin:

Telephone exchange:

All equipment:

And here is the meeting room. It's a pity there is no one to gather.

Sigulda is an ancient Latvian city, located in the middle of the Gauja Park, one of the main attractions of Latvia.

The story about Sigulda and its environs did not fit in one article, there are too many interesting things here.
Therefore, first we will walk around the city, examine the Sigulda castle of the Livonian Order and the Kropotkin estate, ride on cable car from Sigulda to Krimulda, we will see a sanatorium and the remains of an ancient fortress in Krimulda.
And in the second essay - we will tell about.
The entire route can be covered during the day. So get on your way!

Sigulda, how to get there, Riga - Sigulda.

From Riga to Sigulda is only 51 kilometers, and there are several ways to get there:
by private car along the A2 highway or by taxi (40-45 minutes);
by bus from central bus station(buses run from 06.30 to 23.00 with an interval of 1 hour, a ticket costs 2.50-2.70 €, travel time 70-90 minutes);
by train from the railway station (direction Riga-Sigulda, Riga-Valga, Riga-Cesis to Sigulda station; trains run from 06.15 to 21.35; ticket price - 2.35 €; travel time - 75 minutes).
Our choice is the train.

Sigulda.

Sigulda is a city in Latvia, which has many historical, architectural and natural attractions. Our journey begins from the building of the railway station, with its appearance reminiscent of past centuries. Information Bureau is located in the building of the railway station. Almost all newly arrived tourists go there to receive: free maps, brochures, tourist routes around the reserve and consultations. We are no exception either.

Having stuffed our heads with all kinds of information, we begin our acquaintance with Sigulda. Sigulda is a small town, which, if desired, can be bypassed in one hour. But this amazing journey, short in real time, takes us to other times and exciting events for a long time.
Leaving the station building, we get to the station square of Sigulda. Not in the center of it is an unusual clock representing the logo of the factory for the production of the most delicious sweets in Latvia - "Laima".

There is a small fountain in the square. Everything looks so quiet, cozy and touching under the gentle Baltic sun of Sigulda.

The fountain, which is not fenced with a parapet, as is usually the case, is a favorite place for children. Deftly running between the streams of clear water is a whole art!

Right on the station square - a map of the city of Sigulda with comments in Latvian and English. Therefore, for those who are in a hurry, you can not go to the information center, but immediately plan your route.

Sigulda, photo.

Sigulda is a shady green town. Among the alleys with centuries-old trees, houses twined with ivy. The special atmosphere of the city is conducive to a leisurely walk and contemplation of the beauty of the world. The authorities of Latvia have tried - everything is well-groomed and not a single piece of paper.

We walk along the streets of Sigulda and look at different buildings. Here is a building resembling an administrative office or a school.

Here is a small house, friendly inviting to a shop and a cafe.

Walking around Sigulda, you constantly feel in the middle of a large well-groomed park. Carefully trimmed lawns, bright flower beds, clean paths.

In such wonderful weather, tourists are attracted by open-air cafes among shady greenery.

Fashionable form of a vertical flower bed with numbers 2014 (the year of our trip to Sigulda).

Sigulda, attractions.

The city is so small that it does not make sense to indicate the addresses of the sights, you will not pass by them anyway.
Sculpture "Wind Bell", installed in 2007 in honor of the 800th anniversary of Sigulda, is the work of I. Bert. Inside the concrete figure there are 8 bells that make amazing melodic sounds in windy weather. We had windless weather and we could not check it.

If you move along Pils Street, you will come to Square of three keys, equipped in 2007, for the birthday of Sigulda. The composition consists of three iron keys set next to a stone wall. The keys are a symbol of three ancient settlements located in the Gauja Park and forming the historical and cultural image of this area - Sigulda, Krimulda, Turaida.

Also in the Square of Three Keys, one of the paths is framed as a bridge, benches have been placed, and flower beds have been laid out.

In Sigulda, many houses or on their facades have the flag of the Republic of Latvia. The cloth with a red-white-red (carmine) stripe was approved as a flag as early as 1923. According to ancient legends, this was the sign of the warriors of the Wenden fortress (now Cēsis) as early as the 13th century. They also say that a simple white cloth along the edges was soaked with the blood of the brave commander of the fortress defenders during its heroic defense from the invaders.

Fairy tale corner: the stream turns the wheel of a small mill. It's like a house for gnomes in the middle of a blooming park!

There are many such overgrown, undeveloped land plots in Sigulda, where nature triumphs.

On one of the squares monument to Krisjanis Baron- Latvian writer, collector of folklore, author of scientific works on Latvian folk songs. The sculptural image was installed in 1985 in honor of the 150th anniversary of the Collector of Dine - Lithuanian folk songs.

Church, Sigulda.

We are in front of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sigulda. It was erected on the site of an older one, which was dedicated to St. Berthold and was already known at the end of the 15th century. The bell tower of the church was built in the 30s. 20th century, according to the project of P. Pekshen, at about the same time the altar part of the interior decoration was restored.

From the bell tower you can admire the picturesque surroundings. Beautiful inside the church. There is an organ assembled from several organs during the reconstruction of the instrument after the Second World War.

There are many squares in Sigulda, decorated with unusual works of sculptors and landscape designers. Here Composition "Knight's Parade", made of granite, scrap metal and wooden parts.

The knight's parade is the pride of the townspeople, because it expresses the spirit of the area, where from time immemorial the brave Liv knights fought to defend ancient castles. The composition is installed near the Sigulda Castle with a majestic stone fence. Here the knights guard this castle.

We are heading to the stone gate leading to the park of the Kropotkin estate. The entrance to the park is free. In addition to the manor, the park also houses the old Sigulda Castle.

Kropotkin's estate.

From the gate we contemplate the vastness of the estate and the central building - the New Sigulda Castle, built in the 19th century by the Kropotkin princes. The building is stylized as a fairy-tale fortress and harmonizes with the landscape and wildlife around.

From the hills of the estate, there is an amazing view of the building located in the neighboring village – Krimulde. This is the building of the famous sanatorium, located in the former noble estate of the princes Liven, the construction of which dates back to 1854. In Soviet times, a children's sanatorium was located here, now a rehabilitation center is located here.

Administrative building in the Kropotkin estate in Sigulda. Nikolai Dmitrievich Kropotkin - Vice-Governor of Courland and Livonia, owner of an estate with a Castle, founder of a resort in present-day Sigulda, which became famous at the beginning of the 20th century. By order N.D. Kropotkin in Sigulda, a railway station, a toboggan run, dachas, boarding houses, hotels were built, and the city was filled with tourists and summer residents who came here to improve their health and relax.

Monument to KRONVALD ATS, who interceded in 1872 at a conference of teachers during the period of Russification for the rights of the LATVIAN LANGUAGE and was expelled from work. Studied and worked in Tartu.

The new Sigulda Castle was built in 1881 on the site of a stone house that once belonged to the Lievens. During the First World War, the building was badly damaged. Then by 1937 it was restored. After the Second World War, there were medical institutions here, and after the return of independence to the Republic of Latvia in the 90s. 20th century This is where the city administration is located.

Sigulda castle.

We approach the oldest part of Sigulda - Sigulda Castle of the Livonian Order. Entrance to its territory is already paid, so we are content with its external inspection, which, in my opinion, is quite enough.
The castle in Sigulda, like the Castle in , was founded by the German crusader knights as a fortification.

It appeared in 1207 and bore the name Segewald (“Forest of Victories”). The ruins of the castle are the center of the park in Sigulda.

The medieval Sigulda Castle makes a vivid impression. We see before us two watchtowers and part of a powerful fortress wall.

The sign of the Order of the Crusaders in the upper part of one of the towers of the Sigulda Castle has survived to this day. It is known that the castle withstood the attacks of local tribes many times.

It is quite possible to spend more than one hour on the territory of the former Kropotkin estate. Of interest is the House of Artists.
House of Artists- these are sand paintings, entrance is paid, children are free. An exhibition of sand sculptures and paintings is organized here every year.

And here are the works made of sand - a portrait that conveys the mood and character of the character (all the photos in the artist's house were taken by my daughter).

The figure of a girl, also made of sand.

Nude figure: the amazing possibilities of the material allow you to convey a variety of shades of color, even in the photo the girl’s body seems to shimmer and warm

Artistic composition-installation.

From ancient buildings and an art gallery, we return to a pond with a fountain in the middle.

There are also ancient cannons in Sigulda - after all, the city has experienced many military events.

Sigulda park.

Sigulda Park opens before us many unusual granite sculptures. We consider the figure of a man sitting on green grass with a book in his hands.

And here is a beautiful girl in a national costume from folk songs - dain.

Having walked a lot around the estate, we leave its territory. Among the sights of Sigulda you can also highlight:

White castle.

This building is called the "White House". It appeared in Sigulda at the end of the 19th century. and was intended for N.D. Kropotkin. Since 1920, the house belonged to E. Poruks. She organized a boarding house in the building and nicknamed it the White Castle. Later, there was a gymnasium, a school, during the war - a bomb shelter. Now here is a cultural and educational center dealing with the problems of environmental education and environmental conservation.

In Sigulda, you can study landscape design, in particular, the art of arranging flowerbeds of various shapes, colors and designs.

Cane park.

Can't get past cane park. This park was laid out in 2007 for the anniversary of the city. The cane is considered to be the talisman of Sigulda, tourists take souvenirs in the form of a cane to their homes from here. When the resort began to develop here, it was supposed to walk along the park paths with a cane.

In the Pack of Canes, even flowerbeds are made on the composition of umbrellas!

A bright colored fence invites you to visit Winnie the Pooh.

Tarzan Park.

Sigulda invites you to the largest amusement park in Latvia, and in the whole Baltic States, for children and adults "Tarzan".

From the top of the Ferris Wheel in Sigulda you can see boundless dense forests. In areas not occupied by forest, grass is neatly mowed.

The amusement park "Tarzan" is located in the middle of Sigulda. When organizing it, all the favorable features of the relief were used: there is a carousel lift and a picnic area.

Bobsleigh track in Sigulda.

Another place for active rest This is a sledding and bobsleigh track.

The park has comfortable playgrounds. Here you can not only play excavator driver, but also ride an electric car along tracks specially prepared for kids.

Cable car, Sigulda.

Another attraction of Sigulda is the cable car, built in 1969, connecting two settlements Latvia - Sigulda and Krimulda.

At the box office, you can buy a one-way or round-trip ticket. The ticket is quite expensive, and the views from the cabin are not so impressive, so as a curiosity we take a one-way ticket.

By cable car on the air tram we will go on a journey through the greenery of forests and over the river Gauja. The length of the road is just over a kilometer, the height above the river is 42 meters, and the travel time is only eight minutes.

From 1969 to the mid 80s. 20th century the cable car was used as the only way public transport helping to get from Sigulda to Krimulda.

By the way, the cable car in Sigulda is the only one in Latvia. This is another reason to ride it.

The cable car leaves every 30 minutes, so you have to wait a bit, and then hit the road. From the carriage you can see the main sights of the Gauja National Park.

The flowing waters of the Gauja River, coniferous and deciduous trees rush under us in the air permeated with the scent of pine needles.

From the trailer you can see the Turaida Castle with its towers and red-brick fortress walls.

Right below us sandy beaches on the banks of the Gauja.

It is a bit breathtaking when we are above the middle of the Gauja river.

We're rushing on highway- this means that soon the arrival on a high hill in Krimulda.

Krimulda.

We are greeted by an information stand in Latvian and English language, telling about another town in Latvia - Krimulda.

We descended from heaven to earth, or rather, simply from the platform of the air cable car station.

Krimulda is a small village (very small in relation to Sigulda), where houses of past centuries have been preserved. In the summer, they are very beautiful, as they are decorated with climbing plants creeping along the facades of houses, along the carved railings of galleries.

Houses, fences - everything in Latvia is decorated with flowers.

We travel through the territory of the health resort: here in the old building there is a shop and a cafe.

The ancient pavilions in Krimulda have been restored; they are rare examples of the architecture of European summer cottages of the early 20th century.

We are again transported to the Middle Ages when we approach the age-old walls built of stone. And under the trees there are such fabulous mushrooms.

Sanatorium Krimulda.

In the meantime, we approached the sanatorium in Krimulda.
The sanatorium in Krimulda is located in an old noble estate. The columns are reminiscent of the solemn receptions that the hosts arranged for their guests, balls, musical evenings.

In the sanatorium, children and adults with diseases of the musculoskeletal system, respiratory and nervous systems undergo treatment.

Having walked a lot along Krimulda, we return to the cable car. Here, among the vegetation, the remains of an old castle are hidden.

Krimulda Castle.

Powerful walls, skillfully lined windows still amaze with grandeur and beauty.

And again on the road, along the roads of Latvia, in the footsteps of medieval knights and Russian emperors.

We are walking towards new impressions, amazing and mysterious places.

See you on the paths of Latvia!

Where we went then can be seen in the article:

We decided to get to Sigulda as early as possible, but at the same time we didn’t want to get up early. The choice fell on the minibus, which departs from Riga at 9 o'clock. And in two hours it delivers you to the bus station of the city of Sigulda. For me, the name of this city is associated with a bobsleigh track. After studying the materials, it turned out that the city is also rich in its history, and is interesting for the castles that have been preserved, albeit partially.
A bit of history. Sigulda is located on the banks of the winding Gauja - the most beautiful river in Latvia. People settled in these picturesque places since ancient times. In the II-III millennium BC. e. Finno-Ugric tribes lived here, engaged in hunting and fishing. Until the end of the 12th century, Livs inhabited Sigulda. The territory was then conquered by German crusader knights. At the same time, the division of Sigulda took place: one bank went to the Livonian Order of the Sword, and the other went to the Riga episcopate. During the Livonian War, or rather, in 1562, the Poles took possession of Sigulda, during the Polish-Swedish war, the city was under the rule of the Swedes. All these strife, as well as the Northern War and the plague epidemic, caused great damage to Sigulda. But she survived and continues to develop.
The route of our trip around the city and its environs began from the Bus Station. The route on the map maps.google.ru/maps/ms?msid=2… If you arrived at the railway. station, then we pass through the station square and Ausekla street. Directly in front of us is the post office building, go around it on the right and move along Raina street. On the left side we will see the Bus Station. In the same building there is a tourist information center where you can take maps of the city and its surroundings, get the necessary information and, if you wish, book an excursion or come up with an entertainment option. Let's go through the bus station to get to the opposite side. Here at the bus station we will see an interesting sculpture "Wind Bell" There are 8 bells inside the concrete bell. From the wind they play their melody. The sculpture was installed in 2007 in honor of the city's 800th anniversary.

Let's go back to Raina street and turn left. We move to the intersection with Pils street. Here at the crossroads there is a square of keys. Three huge keys resting on a stone wall and arches are a symbol of the three historical centers of the surroundings - Sigulda, Turaida and Krimulda. Opened in honor of the 800th anniversary.
At the next intersection with Cesu street, another interesting park(on the left in the direction of travel) - cane park. Opened in honor of the most famous souvenir of the city. Walking stick making is an ancient craft that has been passed down from generation to generation. This history goes back over 200 years.
On the right in the direction of travel will be the Sigulda Evangelical Lutheran Church. For the first time in the chronicles it is mentioned in the 15th century as the Church of St. Bertulis. The current church (lat. Siguldas luterāņu baznīca) on Baznīca iela was built at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, and the bell tower with a dome sharp as a pencil was added to it in 1930. In Soviet times (from 1965 to 1990) it was the only functioning church in the entire district.
We go further and pay attention to the peculiar sculptural group "Parade of Knights" on the right. Knights painted black are assembled on a small platform from various pieces of iron. Instead of heads - stones, other organs are depicted just as realistically. Each knight has his own name. Embracing the knights, we merged with them together.
And now we come to the places that are described in many guides dedicated to Sigulda. Behind the lattice of beautiful gates, the new Sigulda Palace looks out. Although this is not a castle at all, but simply a two-story main house of the estate, built not so long ago - in 1878-1881, according to the project of the architect J. Mengelis for the owners of the estate, the Kropotkin princes. The original four-story tower, which made the building even more like a castle, was added in 1937.
So "New Sigulda Castle" is more correct to call the complex Sigulda Palace or Sigulda Manor. Before the accession of Latvia to the USSR, the Society of Journalists of Latvia was located here, in Soviet times (since 1953) - the cardiological sanatorium "Sigulda", and now - the Regional Council of Sigulda.
On the territory of the estate there is a rather large and very well-groomed park with alleys, flower beds, various sculptural compositions, including a bronze monument to the Latvian linguist and teacher Atis Kronvald.
Immediately behind the palace is the Old Sigulda Castle. Sigulda Castle is one of the medieval castles in Sigulda (Latvia), built in the early stage of the conquest of the Baltic lands by the Crusaders. Construction work on the erection of the castle was started by order of the first master of the Order of the Sword-bearers Vinno von Rohrbach in 1207 on the territory of one of the former Liv settlements on the banks of the Gauja River. Almost immediately, it became a bone of contention - in 1236 it was captured by the knights of the Livonian Order and a new confrontation broke out - between them and the Bishop of Riga, who built his castle opposite - in Turaida "in revenge".
During the Livonian War of 1558-1583, battles of Russian, Polish and Swedish troops took place here, the Poles won, capturing the castle. However, the Swedes did not give up and thoroughly battered the castle during the war at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, and Sigulda changed hands for another century and a half. In the end, the Russians decided to restore order near their borders and, during the Great Northern War, annexed these lands to the Russian Empire, completing the task of turning the castle into ruins and turning the almost completely ruined Sigulda into an estate, a little later (in 1737) given to one of the royal nobles. This grandee was Field Marshal Pyotr Petrovich Lassi. Subsequently, the castle passed from hand to hand along the family line from the female side.
In 1867, by decision of the family of the owners, the family coat of arms of von Borchs was immured into the gate tower of the castle. Prior to this, the owners took care of a thorough strengthening of the once monumental castle complex. At the same time, two arches were rebuilt to strengthen the interiors. The remains of this castle complex continued to amaze the imagination of contemporaries, inspiring such popular Russian writers as Alexander Alexandrovich Bestuzhev-Marlinsky, who worked in the concept of romanticism, which involved referring to the images of medieval castles in Livonia.
The monumental gate tower, the bridge to it, the North Tower, fragments of the walls of the castle chapel, which are lined with roughly hewn limestone (“white stone”), have survived to this day - you can schematically see vaults and window openings made in the early Gothic style in it . In the chapel, elements of interior decoration (in particular, supporting beams (consoles) of the vaults) and individual elements of the design of the facades of the castle (meaning the original cruciform niche, actualizing the religious aspect, invariably present in Gothic sacral architecture) have also been preserved in a fragmentary form. The tower itself, in plan representing a regular quadrangle, was erected around 1400 during the time of the master of the Livonian Order, Willemar von Bruggenoe, to replace the previous one, which was not so massive and inspires hope. As a building material, according to the old tradition of order castle architecture, a roughly chopped heavy boulder was used, which is objectively considered the most durable, resistant, and, of course, safe material in comparison with many others.
A stage was built inside the castle, and now concerts are held here. You can now climb the restored walls of the Overgate and North Towers. For ease of inspection, special stairs and spans were built.
Having examined the castle, we went through the park of the New Sigulda Castle to the road leading to the bridge over the Gauja River. The road winds down to the river. The bridge offers magnificent views of the river and the banks covered with forest.
We continue along the road. We reach a clearing and crossing it we run into a serpentine road, which will lead us to the ruins of the Krimulda medieval castle. The serpentine road was built back in 1862 for the visit of the Russian Tsar Alexander 2.
We will climb the serpentine to the very top. There will be signs right in front of us. Before them, you need to turn right and see the ruins and the wall of the castle. The ruins of the Krimulda castle appear as they were a hundred and two hundred years ago - overgrown with bushes and trees, quiet and deserted - as if sleeping.
Although, of course, there is nothing special to look at - the foundation of the castle wall around the perimeter and its only surviving fragment above a steep cliff. On this remnant (or rather, reconstruction) of the stone wall, two openings of Gothic windows are visible, a small loophole near the ground itself and even a dormer window is outside, and inside (if you can call the reverse side of a lonely wall like that) there are several more windows and former gates located now below ground level.It is quite possible to climb the ruins, if, of course, you are not afraid to break your neck.After examining the wall, you can walk north along the castle foundation to a small observation deck (from which, however, little is visible) and then go down the wooden stairs to the Gauja valley, heading towards the caves…
In the meantime, let's go and read the history of Krimuldas pilsdrupas. It was founded in the second half of the 13th century at the direction of the Riga Dome Chapter, and after the construction was completed, Sigulda received three castles, which in one form or another have come down to us.
However, Krimulda Castle (its real name is Cremon) was originally built not as a military citadel (it had only two small turrets for defense), but rather as a residence for receiving distinguished guests. In 1601, the Swedes easily captured it, but burned it down during a quick retreat, leaving no stone unturned in the full sense of the word...
Only in 1861, the then owner of Krimulda, Count Lieven, began to carry out excavations on the territory of the castle and, apparently, even showed them to Emperor Alexander II, who was visiting Krimulda in July 1862. In those same years, thanks to the fashion for ancient ruins, the fragments of the wall I mentioned were restored on the same foundations, so successfully that they are perceived by many as originally ancient.
Here we are on observation deck. The Turaida Castle is clearly visible from here. Further along the stairs we start with a start back to the river valley. On the way we will cross the river Vikmestes. The river used to be the natural boundary of the Turaida and Krimulda lands. A nice bridge is thrown across the river, which will serve as a place for a photo.
We go out into the open. To our left is a high cliff. Inscriptions are visible everywhere on the clay wall. Many date back to the last century. And here is the first cave in front of us. This is Maza Cave (during the Soviet Revolution). It is located on the right bank of the Gauja River, at the foot of the main slope of the ancient Gauja valley. The depth of the cave is 14 meters, the width at the entrance is 7.7 meters, the volume is 25 m3. The height of the cave at the entrance is 2 meters and decreases with each meter. After taking a few steps, you need to bend down, another step, two, and you can only move on all fours. If you lie down, then by the light of a flashlight, you can see an island sparkling in the water. Further, the ceiling of the Maza cave no longer goes down, but at a height of 30 cm it stretches five or six, possibly more meters in depth. The end of the cave is not visible. A spring flows from the depths of the cave.
In 1957, proclamations were found in the cave, issued in 1932 and directed against the bourgeois government of Latvia - therefore the cave was called the cave of the Revolution. In 1990, the cave was again called Maza.
Let's go 150 meters. And before us is the most famous cave of Sigulda. Gutman's Cave is the largest cave in the Baltic States. It is probably impossible to say something new about Gutman's cave. Unless, proudly, to tell you that you left your painting on its walls (without saying that for this you had to erase the writing of a hundred years ago). We did not do this, but with pleasure we looked for the oldest inscription. We managed to find a record of 1811.
The cave is really beautiful. Its walls (as well as the surrounding stones, slopes, other nearby caves and cliffs) are filled with inscriptions left by visitors over the course of many centuries. These walls are made of dense red sandstone, formed in the Devonian period, more than 400 million years ago.
A clean and cold stream flows out of the cave, flowing into the Gauja, which flows nearby.
As for romance, according to one version, in ancient times, the leader of the Livs named Rindaug ordered a beautiful but unfaithful wife to be walled up in a rock, who did not wait for him from the war. The immured wife sobbed bitterly, from her tears a clear stream formed, which then gnawed out the cave.
The most famous legend is that of Maya, known as the Rose of Turaida. The most beautiful in the area was engaged to a local gardener. Every evening they met at this cave. As usual, the local rich man fell in love with beauty, who tricked Maya into the cave. When the rapist had already grabbed her, she, realizing that she could not be saved, offered him a ransom for herself. He asked what it was about. In response, Maya gave the villain her red scarf, which was tied around her neck. She explained that the headscarf had been charmed, and that no one could hurt the one who wore the headscarf.
The officer expressed doubt that the handkerchief was magical, but Maya offered to test its power by again tying the handkerchief around her neck and offering to hit her with a sword. The rapist decided that the handkerchief was indeed bewitched, since the girl, without fear, offers to strike her. He took his sword and stabbed Maya in the neck, killing her instantly.
At the sight of the murdered girl, he woke up, sobbed bitterly, rushed into the forest and hung himself there on a belt from a sword.
A young man in love who came on a date and saw his beloved dead was accused of murder, and only the confession of an accomplice of the rapist saved him from the gallows.
After the funeral, a cross was placed on the grave of the Turaida Rose, and the beloved young man left for Württemburg, where he was born.
Over the centuries that have passed since the death of Maya, the story has acquired various mystical details and has become a legend - one of the most famous legends in Latvia.
In addition, they also talk about the healer Gutman (Gutermann - from the German "good man"), who treated many people with water from a stream. The cave was named after Gutman.
FROM the cave we will return to the road, along which we will need to climb to the very top. To our right we will see the entrance to the Turaida Museum-Reserve, and to the left a bus stop, where you can return to Sigulda and stalls with souvenirs. For lovers of souvenirs, we recommend buying them here. More choice and cheaper. About visiting the castle and continuing the walk in the next part.

Sigulda is a small town located 51 kilometers from the Latvian capital. People go to Sigulda, first of all, to take a break from the hustle and bustle big city, as well as for the picturesque pristine nature, fresh air and solitude. And not in vain, Sigulda draws to itself 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 chic nature in Sigulda there are many monuments of architecture and history, medieval castles, churches, parks and other interesting places of interest.

In this article, we will take a leisurely walk around Sigulda and see the main and most interesting sights of the city in our opinion. As mentioned earlier, Sigulda is a small town, you can easily get around it on foot in just an hour. This city is beautiful, impressing and somehow peacefully calm. In some places, especially sitting on a bench in the cane park, Sigulda reminds small towns Bavaria ().

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

The station square is small in size, it is playground And Laima watch. 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 on.

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

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

Walking further came across the next attraction of the city - canes park. Sigulda Reed 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 19th century archival editions of the city, which say that walking through the country mountainous area requires a walking stick, which previously could be purchased from any street urchin. At present, 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 sell them in various sizes, from large to small.

Reed Park, a small green square with benches and sculptural compositions.

The 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 an attraction, but still beautiful.

Having crossed to the opposite side of Raina Street (Raiņa iela), we exit to small lake.

Near the lake is located (Siguldas Evangeliski Luteriska baznica). Location address of the Sigulda Lutheran Church: Baznicas iela 2.

In the place of the current church, in the old days 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. Pekshen, 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 church tower, from there a panoramic view of the city opens.

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

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

We go to another famous sight of Sigulda - to the 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 Manor. During the agrarian reform in 1920 the house was sold. Ernestine Poruks, the widow of the famous Latvian poet and romantic Janis Poruk, became his new mistress. She kept a boarding house in the house, which she gave another name to the White Castle.

Further, the White House has been 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 shelter, and the house was abandoned for a long time, until it was transferred to the management of the Administration national park Gaui. Currently, the initiative center for education in the field of nature and cultural environment “Balta pils” operates in the White House.

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

Not far from the shelters 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").

The inhabitants 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 look of the city, but also complements it. Why do they think so? Now you will understand it!

If you look ahead from the Knights Parade sculpture and walk a few steps, then we will go out to the stone gates, 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 castle built in the 1200s.

The medieval Sigulda Castle was once a majestic stone building, 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 sights of Sigulda, together forming. A separate article is devoted to these two castles on our blog, with detailed description and great photographs.

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

On this, our walk around Sigulda came to an end. Then we went to the cable car, and went along the hiking route to national park"Gauja", visiting Gutman's cave and Turaida museum-reserve with Turaida castle. But this is a completely different story, which we will talk about in the next article. So, after walking around Sigulda, do not stop, but continue your walk, you can join us about the hiking route through the Sigulda park-reserve, cable car, cave and castles.

What to do in Sigulda with children?

Sigulda is not only architectural sights and nature, that is, to a greater extent entertainment for adults, the city has also prepared a lot of entertainment for children of all ages. First of all, it is a big and famous Adventure Park "Tarzan". Tarzan, the most large park entertainment of the Baltic, families come here from all over the area.

The park is located directly in the city, under the open sky. What is attractive about the park is that everyone, regardless of age, will find entertainment for themselves in it. We also wanted to visit this park, but there was not enough time, it is large and you need to allocate, perhaps, the whole day to visit it.

Tarzan Adventure Park has an obstacle course for children and adults with over 100 different obstacles placed in trees, a carousel lift, zip lines, a rollercoaster track, a catapult, a rotor, a giant tree swing, a climbing wall, large trampolines, velomobiles , riding on cameras, attractions - archery, as well as a separate place for picnics.

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

There is another 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. Lesnoy Kot Amusement Park offers obstacles, cables, nets, bridges of various designs, swings, beams, ropes and ladders, as well as rope flights, a volleyball court, an Alpine-style guest house, a bath complex, a tavern and rooms for seminars.

IN winter period there is a ski track in the park. The adventure park "Lenoy Kot" is located at the address: Sigulda, Senchu ​​street, 1.

Active holidays in Sigulda

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

Sigulda Sports and Active Leisure Center, offers its guests a 1.25 km track for roller skating, Nordic walking and running. Rollers and roller skis can be rented here. There is a ski track in the center. 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 sports and active recreation center.

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

Sigulda luge and bobsleigh track is one of the rarest buildings of its kind in the world. Its length is 1420 meters, it has 16 turns and a 200-meter stopping distance. The bobsleigh and luge track is located at the address: Sigulda, Šveices 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. By 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 make up for lost time.

Shops, cafes and restaurants in Sigulda

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

Large Alvy's grocery storeElvi 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 about the same. About food prices in Riga.

Where to stay in Sigulda?

For 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 hotels, costing from 57 € for a double room per day.

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

A touch of almost a thousand years of history awaits visitors to the Turaida Castle in Sigulda. The unusual exposition, part of which is located in the open air, allows not only to get acquainted with the eventful history of the region, but also simply to admire the picturesque landscape, against which the ruins and ancient buildings are located.

The bishop of Ratseburg, Philip, was the first to lay a stone in the foundation of the castle-fortress, and in 1214 the construction of the majestic building was completed. It could not stand to this day, as the conflagration of 1776 destroyed it almost completely. But on this land in the 19th century, a rural estate was rebuilt, completely preserved.

For the last 50 years, not only scientific research of the castle, but also restoration work has been actively carried out. Visitors can not only get acquainted with the exposition of the museum-reserve, but also climb the 26 meters of the observation tower to admire the beauty and grandeur of the castle rising from the ruins. The South and North Towers, some walls and living quarters have already been restored, in which you can view antiquities found on the territory.

Time and cost of visiting

The museum is open:

1. November to March from 10:00 to 17:00, in April until 19:00.
2. from May to September from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., in October until 7 p.m.

In summer, from 10 am to 6 pm, all expositions are open, and during the remaining hours, only the territory of the reserve, the main tower and the tower-shaped southern building.

Visit cost:

• winter period: adults €3, students €0.70, family ticket 2+2 €6.40, 1+2 €3.70
• summer period: adults €5, students €1.50, family ticket 2+2 €10.70, 1+2 €6.40.

Preschoolers can visit for free.

Organized sightseeing tour in a group of up to 30 people for 1.5-2 hours in Russian, English or German costs 35.57€, thematic for 30-40 minutes - 14.23€.

Various museum programs are organized, for example, "Visiting the Turaida Vogt", which will cost a group of adults 66.87 €, schoolchildren 35.57 €, students - 49.80 €. Read about other programs on the official website.

How to get there

From the railway station of Sigulda, you need to walk 3 km or take a bus towards Krimulda to the stop "Turaida" along the P8 highway, and there is also a cable car going to the castle.