Arms and Armour

Cēsis

Cēsis (Latvian pronunciation: [tseːsis] ; German: Wenden, Livonian: Venden, Estonian: Võnnu, Polish: Kieś) is a town in the Vidzeme region of Latvia and the administrative centre of Cēsis Municipality. It lies in the northern part of the Vidzeme Upland, about 90 km (56 mi) north-east of Riga, on ridges above the valley of the Gauja. At the beginning of 2026, the town had 14,899 residents. Cēsis developed around a fortified settlement of the Vends at Riekstu Hill and the nearby medieval castle of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword and later the Livonian Order. The area is first recorded in connection with events of 1206. Cēsis was documented as a town in 1323 and joined the Hanseatic League in the early 15th century. The historic centre retains its medieval street plan, sections of the town wall, St. John's Church and the ruins of Cēsis Castle. The town is also a regional cultural centre, with Cēsis Concert Hall, the Cēsis Art Festival and the annual LAMPA Conversation Festival.

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See also

• ▸Barmkin
• ▸Eugene Richards
• ▸Château fort de Lourdes

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