Castle of Livonian Order in Sigulda
Built in 1207 as a castellum type fortress, later rebuilt into a convent type building. From 2012 it is possible to climb up the North Tower, the Main Gate Tower and enjoy the medieval aura.In the ancient Gauja valley, shaped by the River Gauja and its tributaries, dozens of stone castles were erected and occupied in addition to the many castle mounds that were built by earlier locals. This area has the greatest concentration of castles not only in Latvia but also in Eastern Europe.Sigulda Medieval Castle was built by the Livonian Brothers of the Sword who were later incorporated into the Teutonic Order of the castle, thus the castle eventually became the property of the Livonian Order.
The Livonian Brothers of the Sword, officially known as The Militia of Christ of Livonia, was a military order comprised of German "warrior monks.” They later became better known as the Livonian Brothers of the Sword due to the symbols on their white capes.
