Gauja National Park

Gauja National Park is the largest national park in Latvia and is characterised by great biological diversity, picturesque views and cultural and historical sights. Gauja River, longest river in Latvia (452km), winds through the park which used to serve as a trading route. As a result, the Livonians and Latvians built strong stone castles on the river banks and the remnants of these can still be visited today.

The main natural highlight of Gauja National Park is the beautiful sandstone cliffs which date to around 350 million years ago. Scattered across the park there are also several caves and rock formations. Covered in pristine forest, the park boasts 900 species of plant, 149 of birds and 28 of mammals.

There are over 500 monuments of historical and cultural significance inside the national park, namely forts, castles, churches and small museums. The most famous medieval castles are Sigulda and Turaida on the banks of the Gauja River. The castles date back to the 13^th century when each bank of the Gauja River was controlled by different rulers – Sigulda Medieval Castle was built in 1207 by the Livonian Brothers of the Sword, while Turaida Castle was built in 1214 by the Archbishopric of Riga. The latter was destroyed in a fire in 1776 and its castle tower was not restored until 1953. From the tower there are great views of the picturesque Gauja valley. The archaeological excavations and restoration of Turaida can be learned about inside the Turaida Museum Reserve.