Tourists who are going to make a trip to Latvia , it is definitely recommended to visit one of the most famous cities in this country - Valmiera . It has a lot of architectural, cultural and natural attractions, viewing of which will provide an exciting pastime for tourists.
Architectural and cultural attractions
The city of Valmiera has an ancient history, the echoes of which have been preserved in the architectural structures located on its territory. Among them you can list the following:
- The ruins of Valmiera Castle , the date of construction of which goes back to the XIII century. By now only fragments of the wall have been preserved, but they also testify to the former power of this structure. With the construction of the castle, many legends are associated, each of which sounds one more unusual than the other. So, according to one of the legends, the knights forced residents to bring boulders from cultic pagan places to use them for buildings. According to rumors, this led to a series of mysterious deaths, and the castle's stones glowed at night. Another legend says that special barrels were gathered around the neighborhood, on which lime was mixed for laying stones, so the walls turned out to be heavy-duty. In the immediate vicinity of the castle grows the famous Oak of the nine branches. There is a legend connected with this place, which says that if you touch a tree it will give the person unusual energy and keep youth for a long time.
- Valmiera Church of St. Simeon , built in 1283 on the banks of the River Gauja. This is one of the oldest stone buildings in all of Latvia. Her style can be described as a combination of Romanesque and Gothic. It is famous not only for its architectural style, but for the organ that is inside the temple. It was created by F. Ladegast in 1886 and it can rightly be called a historical monument. On the territory of the church there are gravestones of prominent citizens of the XV-XVI centuries. There is also an observation deck with an impressive panoramic view of the city.
- Valmiera Museum of Local History , which was founded in 1959 and is located near the mountain Valterkalninsh. This place is famous for the fact that in 1928 a unique source of mineral water was discovered, which gained fame throughout the country. In 1930, he received a gold medal at an exhibition in Belgium. Directly in the museum tourists can get acquainted with the fragments of the history of the city of Valmiera. Here is a collection of 56,000 exhibits, as well as the works of R. Vitols, a local artist.
Natural attractions
The city of Valmiera is known as the northern gate of the Gauja National Park , which is in close proximity to it. It is a unique natural monument on the territory of which there are several lakes and rivers. It occupies a huge area of 90 hectares, on its territory there are about 900 plant species, about 48 species of fauna and 150 species of birds live.
Another famous natural site is the Park of sensations on the steep banks of Gauja - an amazing place where you can feel nature without leaving the city. In the park there are walking trails, according to which tourists can walk a lot, which will allow to develop all five senses - hearing, sight, smell, aroma and taste, touch. This is possible on the "barefoot path", along which walk without shoes on various natural materials, among which you can list such: pebbles, cones, blue glass balls from Valmiera fiberglass, sand, chestnuts, mulch from the bark. Another path, laid among trees at an altitude of 5-8 m above the ground, is created from everyday objects, for example, bath scoops and chairs with Latvian signs of strength.