Turaida Castle is located in Sigulda, 50 km north-east of the capital of Latvia. Turaida Museum Reserve covers an area of ​​41 hectares, it is located on the right bank of r.Gaui. The reserve is located 37 historic buildings. Turaida Museum Reserve is one of the most popular museum complexes in Latvia, according to statistics, every year it is visited by about 170 thousand tourists.

The castle was founded in 1214. Bishop Philip at the direction of the Riga bishop Bukskhevdena founded Turaida Castle. Upon completion of the construction of the castle was called "Fredeland", which translated from German means "land of peace." However, this name did not stick, and to have survived the name "Turaida", which translated from the ancient Liv language means "divine garden."

For several centuries Turaida Castle retained its strategic importance. However, in 1776, after a fire almost completely burnt down the fortress. In the early 19th century in the courtyard of a medieval castle it was to settle the estate. Then built houses and barns, stables and other outbuildings. In 1924, the ruins of Turaida Castle were referred to the list of historic buildings protected by the state. Restoring the fortress began only after the Second World War, so restoration began nearly 200 years after the destruction of the castle in a fire.

Now, repair work began in 1953, the main tower of Turaida Castle was restored first. In 1974 the fortress turned large-scale archaeological excavations and research. Beginning in 1976, a result of the archaeological site was discovered about 5000 vintage finds the most interesting of them were found ancient furnace room with a well, a brewery, coins, etc.

An interesting finding was already mentioned furnace which warmed the fortress. Warm air from the furnace made up the voids in masonry, then it spread along the walls and under the floors of the castle, so great warming fortress. It is interesting that a similar principle was used more heating in the baths of ancient Rome.

The result of excavations at the time, except the findings, it was about 1,000 pages of text, which described the found artifacts, in addition to the excavation of the participants were about 500 schemes and plans and made about 7000 photographs.

The restored main tower of Turaida castle, whose height is 26 meters, now used as an observation deck, which offers breathtaking views of the surrounding area, which for its beauty became known as the Latvian Switzerland. The climb to the observation deck, you can through a very narrow and low passages with stone steps. It moves a little more height and a half meters, and the width of just half a meter.

Besides viewing baths restored also other objects Turaida fortress: fortress walls, semi-circular towers and North and South tower structures. The renovated household building since 1962 the exposition Museum.

Archeological excavations started in the middle of the last century, it does not stop today. Therefore, new exhibits are constantly replenish the museum fund. Turaida Castle is one of the most popular tourist sites in Latvia. Here are constantly conducted concerts of ancient and contemporary music, as well as organize various festivals, exhibitions and other cultural events. In the courtyard are working artisans.

From the castle is a legend of the Rose of Turaida. According to legend, in 1601 the Swedish troops captured the castle. After the battle, a palace scribe Greif among the dead discovered the emaciated girl. He brought her home and has pledged to raise. This happened in May, so he decided to call the girl Maya.

Over the years, Maya has become so beautiful that it became known as the Rose of Turaida. On the other bank of the Gauja she lived her fiancé, Sigulda Castle gardener Victor Heёl. Evenings Maya and Victor met in a cave Gutman. Victor left the cave dug another little. In anticipation of a meeting with his bride, he was decorated with a small cave flowers. Today the cave is called the name of Victor.

Maya was fascinated by the beauty of one of the mercenaries control Turaida Castle Adam Jakubowski, whose manager was going to soon dismiss. All courtship and offers Adam Turaida Rose rejected. Then Adam Maya decided to take revenge and take it by force. In this he assisted his friend Peteris Skudritis.

In August 1620 Maia received an invitation (ostensibly from Victor) for an urgent meeting in the cave. Arriving at the meeting, and Maya saw Jakubowski Skudritisa and realized that she had been deceived. Then she shouted: "Stop! Now you will see for yourself in the power of the handkerchief. I did Tie. The sword in front of you, Ruby with all his strength, and you did not do any harm." Adam struck his sword covered with a scarf around his neck Maya. Blood flowed once, the girl fell down, did not even cry. Adam realized that he was "terrible beast" and fled deep into the forest. After some time Skudritis found Adam in the forest, hanging in a sling of his sword.

Skudritis Adam thought the scarf has some magical power, so none of them did not expect such an outcome, and then Skudritis realized that Maya has decided to do so because we believe that it is better to die than to lose honor.

That evening, Victor came to the cave to meet Maya and found her bloodied body. The death of accused Victor Maya, as in a cave found the hatchet gardener. The judges decided to beat a confession out of Victor by torture, from which he was rescued Skudritisa readings. Peteris Skudritisa crime haunted, so he went to court and told him everything. The case turned disclosed. Victor Gardener Greif and the clerk insisted on punishing Peteris, so as not to defile the memory of the blood of Maya, moreover, they did not consider him a direct perpetrator of the crime.

The remains of the Maya were buried with full honors, Victor found himself the cross on her grave, and then left the country, because a broken heart could not find the rest here. The corpse of Jakubowski killer buried in a swamp. Skudritis spent in prison 4 months, during which time he deeply regretted, and then expelled from the country.

The legend of the Rose of Turaida coined party Vidzemsky court trial Magnus von Volffeld. Found archival documents Vidzemsky court trial indicate that the legend is based on real events. Although the veracity of stories about Rose of Turaida repeatedly challenged.