June
29
/ 2020
The famous Cēsis Castle in central Latvia has given up an ancient secret carved within its bloodstained stone walls. Cē sis Castle is one of the most iconic medieval castles in Latvia. Founded in 1213 or 1214 AD by the Livonian Brothers of the Sword, it prospered from 1237 AD during its time as one of the key administrative and economic centers of the Teutonic Order. At this time the original fortifications were replaced by a monumental square castellum with various service buildings and outer baileys resulting in what Stephen Turnbull’s 2011 book, Crusader Castles of the Teutonic Knights, describes as “one of the largest and most powerful castles of the Teutonic Order.” Ivan the Terrible damaged the castle in
