Turaida
| Turaida | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Help on coat of arms |
|
||
| Basic data | |||
| State : |
 Latvia
|
||
| Landscape: | Livonia ( Latvian : Vidzeme ) | ||
| Administrative district : | Siguldas novads | ||
| Coordinates : | 57 ° 11 ' N , 24 ° 50' E | ||
| Residents : | (Jan. 1, 2009) | ||
| Area : | |||
| Population density : | |||
| Height : | |||
| Website: | www.sigulda.lv | ||
| Post Code: | |||
| ISO code: | |||
 |
|||
Turaida (German: Thoraida or Treyden ) is a district of the city of Sigulda in Latvia and consists mainly of the castle and tourist facilities.
The district is located on the left bank of the Gauja and was incorporated in 1953. There is also the village of Turaida, which is part of the Krimulda administrative district.
history
The name Turaida comes from the Livonian "Tarapita" and is translated as the garden of God. By order of Archbishop Albert von Riga , Bishop Philipp von Ratzeburg had Fredeland Castle built on the remains of a Livonian wooden castle in 1214; it also served as a counterweight to the castle of the Order of the Swords on the opposite bank of the river. It was inhabited until it burned down in 1776 with the exception of the tower. The facility has been reconstructed since 1953; Today it is a popular excursion destination with a museum, park, sculpture garden, wooden church and some reconstructed farmhouses from the 18th and 19th centuries. The site can also be reached by the only cable car in Latvia from Sigulda.
See also
literature
- Hans Feldmann , Heinz von zur Mühlen (Hrsg.): Baltic historical local dictionary, part 2: Latvia (southern Livland and Courland). Böhlau, Cologne 1990, ISBN 3-412-06889-6 , pp. 649-650.
- Astrīda Iltnere (ed.): Latvijas Pagasti, Enciklopēdija. Preses Nams, Riga 2002, ISBN 9984-00-436-8 .
