The Krimulda Castle was built in the latter half of the 13th century. It was located where the right bank of the ancient Gauja River valley is split by the deep Vikmeste ravine. The castle was owned by the council of archbishops from Rīga, and it was an impressive structure with a large interior courtyard and a defensive wall that was 1.5 m thick. The Swedish military blew up the castle when retreating in 1601. Today the castle hill is forested, and only a small fragment of the castle wall can still be seen. It is near the ruins that you will find the Sigulda aerial tram and the Krimulda serpentine road – the only object of its kind in the Baltic States.
