Cēsis Castle (Latvia)

During the 800 years of existence, the significance of the Cēsis Medieval Castle has changed as much as its external form. Around 1214, the castle originally served as the residence of the Knights of the Swordsman's Order, but during the reign of his next host, the German Order, he gained the glory of the mighty fortress of Livonia. The residence of the German Order of the Livonian Land was resigned in the castle; Here, the high commanders of the Order gathered at the annual meetings. The archives and library of the Order, the Registry with a scriptwriter, as well as the Mestra Mint were located in Cēsis. The castle suffered greatly in 1577, when in the wake of the attack of Czar Ivan the Barg Army, 300 people in the palace rescued suicide bombarded with gunpowder. With the rapid development of military technology, the ancient fortress lost its military significance, but the castle continued to be used as a residence until the late 17th century. After the Great Northern War, the castle was completely abandoned by the power of fate - the rain and frost gradually returned to the remains of the roofs, but the townspeople used the thick walls as quarries. Only in the 19th century, the romantic movement stirred up wider public interest in the castle as an ancient monument, thus starting the history of preservation and exploration of the castle. Today, Cēsis Castle is one of the most important cultural tourism destinations in Latvia, which, with its unique attraction, is able to attract travelers from all over the world.