Ludza Castle Ruins

Ludza, Latvia

The first mention of the Ludza Castle dates from 1433 when the Livonian Order built a large and strong fortress to replace an earlier wooden fortress built by the ancient Latgalians. The Ludza stone castle had three stories, six towers, three gates and two foreparts. It was built as an outpost for the Livonian order, mainly to strengthen the eastern border of Livonia and guard trade routes from Russia.

In 1481 the Russians invaded Livonia, occupied and devastated the castle. Only the 1525 through improved relations with the Grand Duchy of Moscow, the Livonian Order rebuilt the castle only to see it destroyed again in 1654 by Russian troops under orders from the Russian tsar Aleksey. At the start of the Livonian War in 1558, German troops attacked Krasnij Gorodok and destroyed a number of parishes in Pskov. In the same year Maskavijas troops of Gregory Temkina occupied the castle, but suffering defeat, he was forced to abandon his conquest.

In 1577 Livonia was once again invaded by Russian troops under the guidance of Ivan IV Vasilyevich and the castle was sacked. The following year the Order had Ludza castle with some others in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania mortgaged, and in 1561 asked the castle to be included in the Inflantia. In 1582 the castle returned to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

During the Polish-Swedish War in 1625 the Swedish army occupied the castle, but the Polish-Lithuania Commonwealth soon got it back. In the Russian-Polish War in 1654 the Russian Voivoda Lev Saltikovs surrounded Ludza and the castle surrendered. According to a decision of the Polish Sejm in 1667, only the Daugavpils castle was maintained and other defenses, including Ludza castle, was neglected. After that the castle was abandoned and left in ruins.

Nowadays the impressive fragments of the castle walls, including a three-floor high fragment, still remain. The ruins are the main tourist attraction in the Ludza District, and is considered a symbol of the town.

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Address

Baznīcas iela 54, Ludza, Latvia
See all sites in Ludza

Details

Founded: 1433
Category: Miscellaneous historic sites in Latvia
Historical period: State of the Teutonic Order (Latvia)

Rating

4.8/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Irie Nine (5 years ago)
Absolutely smashing view! As well as childhood memories.
Polten Sepp (5 years ago)
Wonderful place
Mitya LNK (5 years ago)
It is worth a visit if you closeby but 3 stars cause no one takes care / refreshes these old ruines.
Taborlin (5 years ago)
Nice View around the city
Светлана Понарад (5 years ago)
Intresting place,good for summer time
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