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Coordinates: 57°19′57″N 25°36′37″E / 57.332417°N 25.610336°E

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Rauna Castle
Raunas pilsdrupas
Rauna, Rauna Parish, Smiltene Municipality in Latvia

Rauna Castle
Coordinates	57°19′57″N 25°36′37″E / 57.332417°N 25.610336°E / 57.332417; 25.610336
Type	Castle
Site information
Open to the public	yes
Condition	Ruined
Site history
Built	1262 (1262)
Built by	Archbishopric of Riga
Fate	Demolished 1683

Rauna Castle (Swedish: Rönneburg, German: Rownenborgh, Ronneburg) ruins are located in the village of Rauna in Rauna Parish, Smiltene Municipality, in the Vidzeme region of Latvia. The castle was the principal residence of the Archbishopric of Riga, and was visited each year by the Archbishop and his entourage. During the 16th century, it was greatly expanded and a settlement developed around the castle. It was first demolished in the 17th century, but the towers and parts of the castle still remain.

History

The first mention of Rauna Castle dates back to 1381, although historians agree that it may have been built here even earlier.^[1] Eighteenth-century sources mention the castle as being erected in 1262, following a proposal of Albert Suerbeer, Archbishop of Riga.^[1] It is noted that the castle was one of the most important centers of the archdiocese.^[2]

The biggest reconstructions occurred under the reign of Archbishop Jasper Linde. One of the new towers built was named Garais Kaspars (Tall Jasper), after the archbishop, and a small settlement developed around the castle, which later became the village of Rauna.

The devastation of the castle started in 1556 with attacks by the Livonian Order, which lasted until the end of the Livonian War. The worst damage to the castle occurred from 1657 to 1658, during the Second Northern War between the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Swedish Empire.^[2] The castle was deserted after that and slowly turned to ruins. In 1683, the king of Sweden ordered the destruction of anything that resembled a fortress around the castle, so all towers were demolished. Today, the Rauna Castle ruins are preserved. Many walls and even the bases of the towers remain.^[3]

References

^ ^a ^b "Rauna Castle Ruins and Church". Latvian Tourism Development Agency. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
^ ^a ^b Baister, Stephen; Patrick, Chris (1 November 2007). Latvia (Bradt Travel Guide) (5th ed.). Bradt Travel Guides. p. 144. ISBN 978-1-84162-201-9. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
^ Turlajs, Jānis, ed. (2007). Latvijas Ceļvedis [Latvia Travel Guide] (in Latvian) (2nd ed.). Riga, Latvia: Jāņa Sēta. p. 212.

External links

Media related to Rauna Castle at Wikimedia Commons

Latvia: Castles, palaces, hillforts and fortresses

Castles

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Order castles	Aizkraukle Alūksne Āraišu Bukultu Burtnieki Cēsis Daugavgrīva Ērģemes Gaujienas Lugažu Mālpils Nītaures Riga Ropažu Rūjienas Salaspils Sigulda Sigulda New Skujenes Trikātas Valmiera Zaubes
Archbishop's castles	Baltavas Cesvaines Dzērbenes Gulbenes Jaundoles Koknese Krimulda Lielvarde Limbažu Lubānas Ļaudonas Piebalgas Rauna Salacas Smiltenes Suntažu Turaida Vainižu
Vassal castles	Augstrozes Bērzaunes Ērgļu Ikšķiles Kalsnavas Krievciema Lielstraupe Lokstenes Mazstraupes Mujānu Nabes Pirkules (Ungurpils) Rozbeķu Tirzas Vecdoles

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Also see: List of castles in Latvia * List of palaces and manor houses in Latvia

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