Sigulda is a settlement established on the banks of the Gauja river, 50 km from Riga.. 50% of Latvia is covered with forests. Gauja National Park, the most important national park, is also located in this region.. After independence in 1991, the castles and the national park were opened to tourism.
Sigulda was a very central settlement in its time, but in 1350 the Black Plague invaded all of Europe. There were too many deaths and only 5 people remained in this settlement.. After the Napoleonic-Russian war in 1812, they became quite rich.
Currently, the population of Sigulda is 40,000 people.. 86% of the total population is Latvian, 9% Russian and 2% Belarusian. They attach great importance to culture and music.. It also hosted the Opera International Festival. An open-air music festival is held every year in the castle and wall ruins here.. Sigulda gets even more beautiful with cherry trees blooming in May. Also, they call Autumn Golden Autumn here because it is possible to see every shade of green, yellow and orange.
Sigulda and its surroundings are very popular both in summer sports and winter sports. It is popular because the Gauja National park is also the largest adventure park in the country.
Gutmanis Cave , located between the Sigulda castle and the Turaida castle, is one of the highlights.. This cave is the largest cave in the Balkans with a depth of 19 meters, a width of 12 meters and a height of 10 meters.. Gutmanis means good guy. They believe that the water next to this cave rejuvenates the skin.. It’s not a very original cave in my opinion.. There is also a larger underground cave, but it is not open to visitors.. Once upon a time, lovers’ names were engraved on the walls of this cave, but now it is forbidden.. If you write something on the cave wall, you pay a fine of 50 LATs.
This cave also has a story; The story of Maija… Rose of Turaida (1601-1620). Maija is found abandoned in Turaida castle after the war. Maija is head over heels in love with the castle’s gardener. They met secretly in this cave.. But a Polish soldier also falls in love with Maija.. But Maija says she’s engaged to the gardener. The Polish soldier forcibly brings the girl to this cave.. The girl says that the scarf around her neck is magical and she will give it to her in exchange for leaving her.. According to the story, both the girl and the Polish soldier die as she gives the scarf.. Here, near the cave, they put a tombstone in memory of this girl.. “Turaidas Rose” is written on his tombstone.. And newly married couples come here to drop roses to prove that love is stronger than death.. Of course there were very few roses when we went. Because marriage rates in Latvia are gradually decreasing.. The divorce rate for those who have already been married is 50%.. This rate is 45% in general Scandinavia.. They attribute such a high rate to the weather conditions and the depressive mood of the closed air on people.
We also saw a Lutheran church here.. The priest of this very simple and small church is Mrs.. Although they believe that this person is also a former KGB agent.
Turaida Castle was built from red stone bricks in gothic style in 1214 at the request of the archbishop.. The bishop said, “Let’s make such a settlement here that there is no need to go down to the city” and they built this place.. There is a magnificent view from the top of the castle.. You can also see the same view by taking the cable cars going over the Gauja valley.. Parts of the castle are now in ruins. This place was damaged in 1776 and has not been restored again.
For your stay in Sigulda, you can choose comfortable and easily accessible hotels Dzīvoklis Apartment and Mednieku Namiņš.
