The Lielstraupe Castle is the only building in Latvia which contains a Medieval castle and a church. Work on the castle began in 1263. The building suffered great damage during the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as during the riots of 1905. The complex was restored in 1909 by the architect Wilhelm Bockslaff. There are several artistic monuments in the church – the organ loft from the 17th century and the pulpit paintings of the 18th century. In 1944, two stained glass windows produced by the artist Sigismunds Vidbergs were installed at the church – Golgotha and Birth of Christ. The tower contains a clock produced by a local clockmaker, and there is a sun dial on the wall of the church. Visitors to the park of the castle will see the wooden bell tower which dates back to 1744. A memorial plaque to men who fell during World War I and Latvia’s liberation battles was installed in the church in 1938. A drugs treatment hospital was installed in the castle in 1963. The church is open during worship services, and the rest of the complex can only be viewed from the outside.
The Park has had a wooden bell tower since 1848. The Park is home to local and exotic species of trees and shrubs (snow Jasmine, balsam balsam, etc.) with an area of 43 ha, including 0.6 ha of 4 ponds. A regular Park that is included in the stone fence. The old Park was partially destroyed during the war and the 50s of the 20th century, when most of the Siberian Baltic and balsamic Baltic saplings died. Later, the Park was supplemented with new plantings. Separate alleys have been preserved.
Foto: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/lv/d/d7/Lielstraupes_pils.jpg
