Livonian order castle, rather its ruins, is located in Valmiera, on the right bank of the river Gauja, at the confluence of the river Ratsupe, about fifty meters to the northeast of the Lutheran Church of St. Shimane.

Under assumptions of historians at the beginning of the XIII century at the mouth of the river located Ratsupe Castle Latgalians Autine. Around 1208 there Varidotis rules. His possessions were part of the ancient territory of Talava. The inhabitants of these lands professed Orthodoxy and paid tribute to the princes of Pskov.

In 1224 Latgalians lands were conquered, divided, and Valmiera district became the property of the Livonian Order. The researchers suggest that the castle was built after 1224. According to another version, the castle was built in 1283 Master of the Order of Endorpe Villikenom (Shauerburg). The castle in the XIII century historical essays are not mentioned.

At the beginning of the XIV century near the castle there was a settlement, the castle has shared facilities for defense. In the subsequent time, the castle often mentioned in chronicles, because there often happened important events.

In 1560, when the Livonian War, the castle was surrounded by the troops of Ivan the Terrible, but to take it failed. In 1577, the castle was once again surrounded by Russian troops, who this time managed to capture it. During the retreat, the castle was partially destroyed.

After the Polish-Swedish war in 1600-1629 years, the castle belonged to the Swedes. In the second half of the XVII century fortified castle were sprinkled earthen ramparts and bastions arranged. In 1702, during the Northern War, the castle was occupied Valmiera troops of Peter I. The castle was burned and never rebuilt.

The castle was built on the right bank of the river Gauja, at the mouth of the river Ratsupe, the site of the castle of Latgale. In the lower reaches of the river were Ratsupe mill lake covering the approaches to the castle from the north and east. On the south side of a river Gauja. And from the west has been arranged an extensive moat 30 meters wide and 6 meters deep. He shared the castle and the village. Chief predzamok castle and had a length of 100 meters and width - 30-50 meters. In the plan it is an irregular quadrangle. The fortress wall was built, corresponding to the local terrain, and reaches a thickness of 2 to 25 meters. Along the walls of the living and office space. In the corners were predzamka 2 watchtowers. Enter the territory of the castle through the settlement and predzamok and drawbridge moat led to the main castle.

Up to the present day from the defensive part of the city preserved moat and small pieces of the northwest, west and southwest of the city walls. And in the castle you can see the building XVIII-XIX centuries, which was the core of the small historic center of Valmiera.

To have survived some historical tradition, which says that the Crusaders were forced to the edge of the Valmiera residents gather for the construction of the castle huge stones with pagan places of worship .  They say at night in these parts stones shine .  Boulders are stored in the memory of a time when knights were forced to transfer the Baltic peoples to build the stone castle guards giant of places of worship, where people offered sacrifices to the gods .  During this pagan gods avenged the inhabitants of the castle .  It happens all the troubles and unhappiness .  People died of unknown illnesses, committed suicide, and when out of the darkness shows the face of a man from the other world, it went mad and rushed from the walls into the ditch .  Also, in the tradition it says that the first crusader who ordered drag stones with pagan places, died a horrible death .  And during the construction of the castle on the territory of Valmiera traveled with barrels and took the milk from local residents, and no matter how much they had cows .  And this was done in order to mix in the milk of lime, which is why the old masonry as strong .

Ruins Valmiera order castle and the remains of medieval fortifications near the Gauja are a reminder of the center of Valmiera from the XIII century to the present day.