Sigulda New Castle — Attraction in Sigulda

In the "front yard" of the Sigulda Medieval Castle stands the natural stone Neo-Gothic Sigulda New Castle (Latvian: Siguldas jaunā pils). The new castle was built between 1878 and 1881 by order of Prince Dmitry Nikolayevich Kropotkin. His son Nikolay Dmitrievich developed Sigulda as a holiday resort for the rich from Russia. During World War I the castle was badly damaged, so that the Latvian Union of Writers and Journalists, the new owner since 1922, had to spend a lot of money on the restoration of the castle. The Writer's Castle, as the castle is now called, passed into the hands of the Latvian Press Society in 1934, and under the leadership of architect August Birkhans the castle was further restored, renovated and expanded. During World War II a headquarters of the German army was located here. From 1953 until the regained independence a rehabilitation center was located here. From 1993 to 2002, the Sigulda Municipal Council was housed in the New Castle, and from 2003 in the Sigulda...

This is a must-see location in Sigulda. The outside of the park is free, and you can roam in the beautiful park or just chill as there are a lot of benches. There are stores for goods made out of leather, a wood workshop, a place to grab a coffee, and stores for souvenirs. You also have the option to get a ticket and see the inside of the castle. We paid 5€ per person for both old and new castles together. The castle has a couple of floors. You can go at the top, which leads to a small "terrace" overlooking the parks and the old castle. You can get an audio guide to tell you some historical facts. Be aware that this castle is not like the others that you might have visited in other europen cities. It is more modest and you can see that it's built on usefullnes rather than to show how reach...

I visited the New Castle in Sigulda, a beautiful and well-preserved building surrounded by a green park and great views. The architecture is impressive, and the atmosphere is calm perfect for a short cultural stop while exploring Sigulda.

However, I was surprised to see the Ukrainian flag flying alongside the Latvian one. I came here expecting only local symbols, so I didn’t quite understand the reason for displaying it. It would be helpful if there was some explanation on site maybe a sign or information board to let visitors know why this flag is here.

Overall, the castle is definitely worth visiting for its history, design, and location, but a bit more context about the flags would make the...