The castle ruins of the Livonian Order of Vecpiebalga
The ancient ruins of Vecpiebalga Castle are surrounded by private houses, but they still retain their scenic independence. Please be careful near the ruins.
The castle ruins are situated on a hill, and they offer a beautiful view of the Vecpiebalga countryside. The center of the castle is well-kept and suitable for recreation.
Piebalga was conquered by the Livonian Order at the beginning of the 14th century. The Piebalga castle conquered by the Livonian Order is mentioned for the first time in the writings of 1318 as a "castrum Prebalge". It is assumed that the castle was originally built according to the example of the old Latgali wooden castle, but in later years it was rebuilt over a stone building. In later years, the castle came under the management of the Archbishop of Riga, who in 1340 ordered the construction of a stone castle and a church to begin. The construction continued until the mid-1360s.
The castle has been destroyed several times (during the Livonian War, by Ivan the Terrible's troops in 1577, during the Polish-Swedish War, the Polish-Swedish-Russian War, and the Northern War. The castle was never restored after that last war). Over time, the boulders of the castle have been used by local farmers for the construction of various farm buildings and houses.
The walls of the castle are said to have been 6 feet thick and formed a 60 x 80 paces rectangle with a tower on the eastern side. The boulders are laid in square layers like the crowns of a log house. Around the windows, supposedly to prevent the walls from sweating, the wall is made of bricks. Inside the wall – on the southern and eastern edges – there were living spaces. Fragments of brick walls in the outer walls of living spaces were most likely formed by repairing the consequences of numerous attacks. The courtyard was located in the remaining square inside the walls. From the outside, the castle is protected by a wide moat, which is supplied with water by the Balga River. The water level in the moat is regulated by locks installed on the south side of the castle. A drawbridge led across the moat in the north, but the main entrance was on the east side.
Working time
This place is always available. There may be difficulties with accessibility during the snowy season.