| Sigulda, Latvia |
We took a bus tour to Sigulda, about an hour from Riga. The landscape enoute was generally
flat but as we approached Sigulda we saw that the Gauja River had created a deep valley,
thus leaving a series of hills near the banks. On several of those hills a series of medieval
forts were built but warfare and the ravages of time had reduced most of those forts to
ruins which were subsequently partially restored as tourist attractions. We visited the
partially reconstructed medieval, Turida Castle and the nearby nineteenth century New
Sigulda Castle which now serves as a sanitarium.
flat but as we approached Sigulda we saw that the Gauja River had created a deep valley,
thus leaving a series of hills near the banks. On several of those hills a series of medieval
forts were built but warfare and the ravages of time had reduced most of those forts to
ruins which were subsequently partially restored as tourist attractions. We visited the
partially reconstructed medieval, Turida Castle and the nearby nineteenth century New
Sigulda Castle which now serves as a sanitarium.
The grounds of New Sigulda Castle
Turida Castle, partially reconstructed.
What we saw of Sigulda was not really a village but more a collection of scattered houses to
which some wealthy Rigans go on weekends for fresh air and beautiful scenery in the nearby
Gauja National Park.
which some wealthy Rigans go on weekends for fresh air and beautiful scenery in the nearby
Gauja National Park.
Some of the architecture in the hilly Sigulda area is designed to mimic alpine buildings,
probably because so much of the rest of Latvia is so flat.
probably because so much of the rest of Latvia is so flat.
The restaurant in Sigulda where we had lunch. In front of the restaurant is a display
of a horse and buggy driven by a witch; that is related to a local legend of some kind.
of a horse and buggy driven by a witch; that is related to a local legend of some kind.