Cēsis: Difference between revisions

{{RefimproveMore citations needed|date=August 2007}}

| other_name =

| image_shield = Cesis gerbCOA.pngsvg

| established_date = 1206

| pushpin_map = Latvia

| pushpin_mapsize = 300

| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Latvia

| coordinates = {{coordCoord|57|19|N|25|16|E|region:LV_type:city|display=inline,title}}

| nickname =

| area_total_km2 = 19.28{{#invoke:wd|properties|raw|qualifiers|best|raw||P2046|P518=Q16868672}}

| webpagewebsite = {{URL|http://www.cesis.lv/en/}}

German crusaders known as the [[Livonian Brothers of the Sword]] began construction of a castle ''Wenden'' near the hill fort in 1209. When the castle was enlarged and fortified, it served as the residence for the Order's Master. In 1577, during the [[Livonian War]], the garrison destroyed the castle to prevent it from falling into the control of [[Ivan IV of Russia|Ivan the Terrible]], who was decisively defeated in the [[Battle of Wenden (1578)]].<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Wenden|volume=28|page=518}}</ref> In 1598, it was incorporated into the [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]] and the [[Wenden Voivodeship]] was created. In 1620 Wenden was conquered by Sweden. It was rebuilt afterwards, but destroyed again in 1703 during the [[Great Northern War]] by the [[Armed forces of the Russian Federation|Russian army]] and left in a ruined state. From the end of the 16th century, the premises of the Order's castle were adapted to the requirements of the Cēsis castle estate. When in 1777 the Cēsis castle estate was obtained by Count Sievers, he had his new residence house built on the site of the Eastern Block of the castle, joining its end wall with the fortification tower. Since 1949, the Cēsis History Museum has been located in the New Castle on the Cēsis Castle estate. The front yard of the New Castle is enclosed by a granary and a stable-coach house, which now houses the [[Exhibition center|Exhibition Hall]] of the Museum. Beside the granary there is the oldest brewery in Latvia — Latvia—[[Cēsu Alus]], which was built in 1878 during the latter years of Count Sievers' residency, but its origins date back to the period of the Livonian Order.

Further on is the Cēsis castle park, which was laid out in 1812. The park has the romantic characteristic of that time, with its foot-pathsfootpaths, [[exotic plants]], and the waters of the pond reflecting the castle's ruins.

The planning of the town of Cēsis was done in the second half of the 13th century. The [[Marketplace|market placemarketplace]] with a church was in the centre of the town. The centre of housing was the stone castle of the Livonian Order, with its three fortified towers. The town was also encircled by a dolomite [[stone wall]] with eight towers and five gates. Buildings from the [[Middle Ages]] include [[John the Baptist|St. John]]'s Church (built 1281–12841281–1284), the [[ruins]] of the Order's castle, [[Cēsis Castle]] and fortification walls, fragments of which can still be seen at Vaļņu iela and Palasta iela. In addition, ancient road networks and building plots have survived from medieval times, although many of the buildings themselves have been ruined (the last destroyed in 1748). 18th century buildings can be seen at 16 and 25 Rīgas iela, while houses built in the first part of the 19th century are at 15 and 47 Rīgas iela, 6 Gaujas iela, and other streets. Cēsis was occupied by the [[Sweden|Swedish]] king [[Gustavus Adolphus]] in 1621 during the [[Polish–Swedish War (1600–1629)|Polish–Swedish War]].

* [[Wilhelm Lenz (historian, 1906) | Wilhelm Theodor Georg Lenz]] (1906-19761906–1976), historian

==Twin towns — sistertowns—sister cities==

Cēsis is [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Cēsu novada starptautiskā sadarbība|url=http://cesis.lv/lv/cesu-novads/starptautiska-sadarbiba|website=cesis.lv|publisher=Cēsis|language=lv|accessdateaccess-date=2019-08-31}}</ref>

* {{flagicon|GER}} [[Achim]], Germany

* {{flagicon|AZE}} [[Baku]], Azerbaijan

* {{flagicon|RUS}} [[Gatchinsky District]], Russia

* {{flagicon|POL}} [[Konstancin-Jeziorna]], Poland

* {{flagicon|EST}} [[Rakvere]], Estonia

* {{flagicon|LTU}} [[Rokiškis]], Lithuania

* {{flagicon|SWE}} [[Tyresö Municipality|Tyresö]], Sweden

* {{flagicon|UKRITA}} [[ZhovkvaVenafro]], UkraineItaly

==See alsoGallery==

{{wikivoyageReflist|Cesis30em}}

[[Category:Cēsis|* ]]