• View the remains of the 11th Century Cēsis Castle of the Livonian Order
• Climb to the top of the New Castle tower, built in the 18th Century on the estate of the original castle by Count Sievers
• Visit St Johns Church dating back to the beginning of Cēsis’s existence
• Detour via Rundâle Palace
• View the Gauja National Park valley from a cable car

Due to celebrate its 800th anniversary in 2006, Cēsis has played a significant role in the evolution of Latvia. In fact, Latvians often describe it as the real Latvia. In medieval times, Cēsis castle was one of the major strongholds of the Livonian Knights.  More recently, it was the battleground for Latvia’s independence war.  A trip to this country would be incomplete without a visit to the town located in the historical and geographical heart of Latvia.

Cēsis began as the site of a wooden castle, founded by the Knights of the Sword in the 11th Century near the banks of the Gauja River.  In 1237, the master of the German crusaders called the Livonian Order took over the castle and commenced reconstruction.  In the late 13th and early 14th Centuries, they fortified Cēsis with enormous walls and towers, making this one of the strongest fortresses in the Baltic Sea region at the time.  Only ruins of the Cēsis Castle of the Livonian Order remain today as it suffered badly in the wars of the 16th and 17th Centuries and was never rebuilt.  St Johns Lutheran Church, also built originally in the 13th Century is one of the oldest Gothic style churches in Latvia. 

In the 15th Century, Cēsis joined the Hanseatic League (the prestigious medieval trading organisation).  The city was so important during this period in Latvia’s history that it was the only other Livonian city, apart from Riga, with a mint to print money.  In the 16th and 17th Centuries, Cēsis suffered numerous great fires, was almost completely destroyed by the Russians in the Great Northern War and lost many citizens from a plague epidemic.

Cēsis castle was not rebuilt until 1777, when Count Sievers inherited the Cēsis Castle estate and built his new residence on the site, joining its end wall with one of the remaining fortification towers.  This residence is now known as the New Castle and since 1949, has been the home of the Cēsis Museum of History and Art.  The main tower of the castle offers excellent panoramic views of the town.

From the 19th Century, Cēsis again began to thrive with much population growth, heavily assisted by new road and rail links from Riga.  It was during this time that the current tower of St Johns Church was erected. 

The Cēsis Victory Monument, originally constructed in 1924 after Latvia’s first gaining of independence, was destroyed by the Soviets in 1951.  It was rebuilt in 1998 and symbolises the sun rising up from the flames of battle. 

Not far from Cēsis is the picturesque town of Sigulda with ruins of a castle originally built in the 13th Century by German crusaders.  Surrounding Sigulda, you can explore the trails, viewing platforms and unique flora and fauna of the Gauja National Park.  The best view of the National Park is from the cable car!