Alūksne

 

Aluksne is a city in Latvia, the administrative center of Aluksne region in the east of Vidzeme. Aluksne is located 202 km from Riga, on the shore of Lake Aluksne. Aluksne is the highest city in Latvia, located about 200 meters above sea level (highest point - Temple Mount - 217 m).

 

History

The Alūksne area has long been located on an ancient trade route from the Gauja Basin to the lands of Pskov and Novgorod. In the 8th century, the territory of the present-day Alūksne region was conquered by the Letgalian tribes and the state of Atzeles was established. On the island of Lake Alūksne was the ancient Olga castle of Letga. The castle of the Livonian Order Marienburg (German: Marienburg - 'Mary's Castle'), built on the site of the Letgalian lake castle, was first mentioned in writings in 1284. In 1342, under the leadership of the Order's master Burhard von Dreilben, the old wooden castle was demolished and the construction of the Order's stone castle was completed. During the Polish-Swedish war, the Swedes managed to occupy the castle and it came to the Swedish part of Vidzeme. During the Great Northern War in 1702, the Marienburg Fortress, which was protected by about 300 Latvian battalion soldiers in the Swedish army, was forced to capitulate to Russian troops led by Count Boris Sheremetyev. In the 19th century, Alūksne became an important trade center, in 1903 the narrow-gauge railway line Stukmaņi — Gulbene — Alūksne — Ape — Valka was built.

In 1920, Alūksne was granted city rights. After the Second World War from 1946 to 1949, Alūksne was the center of the county, since 1950 the center of Alūksne district, but after the territorial reform of 2009, the center of Alūksne district.

 

Cultural and historical monuments

Ruins of the Order Castle on the Castle Island in Lake Aluksne. The construction of Marienburg Castle was completed in 1342 by the master of the Livonian Order, Burhard von Dreileben. During the Great Northern War, the castle was surrounded by Russian troops under Sheremetyev. After the events of the Great Northern War, the castle, which was turned into ruins, was no longer restored, and today there is an open-air stage with 3,000 seats in the castle ruins.

The new castle was built in 1859-1863. in English neo - Gothic style by order of A. von Fittinghof. Currently, the castle houses the Museum of Local Lore and Art, the Museum of Nature and the Youth Interest Center (ABJC).

Aluksne Lutheran Church is a single-storey stone building, built between 1781 and 1788, in a high place near the lake according to the project of Riga architect Christopher Haberland. The church has a 40 meter high stepped tower. The building was built in the Classicist style, but there are also some Baroque style elements on its facade and on the top floor of the tower. A lamp with an organ built in 1885 was built at the end of the tower of the room. The altar was built in 1786 and is decorated with urns, apostles and animals.

The Bible Museum was established in 1908 and is dedicated to Ernst Glick. The architect of the building is Christoph Haberland.

Temple Hill - a popular tourist attraction in Aluksne, which overlooks Lake Aluksne. Beginning in 1930, tourist attractions began to be built on the Temple Mount. One of the objects is a bridge named after the Sun Bridge.

 

State protected cultural monuments

no. 157 .: Alūksne medieval castle on the island of Alūksne lake Castle
no. 158 .: Castle Island medieval cemetery and medieval fortification
no. 159 .: Cepurīte island settlement on Cepurīte island of Lake Alūksne
no. 160 .: Temple Hill (castle mound) with a settlement on the Cemetery Peninsula of Lake Aluksne
no. 161 .: Alūksne settlement on the shore of Alūksne lake, Mellums
no. 162: Kanceles kalniņš (Church Hill) - an ancient place of worship at the corner of Pils and Miera streets
no. 2665 .: Alūksne castle ruins on the castle island of Alūksne lake (1342–1702)
no. 2666-2674: Alūksne manor park between Pils street and the lake shore (18th century - 19th century) - stone bridge (18th century), Alexander pavilion (18th century) .), Aeolian Temple (2nd half of the 18th century), colonnade (b. 19th century), mausoleum (1831), obelisk to Fitinghof in Alūksne manor park (1799), pavilion - rotunda 1805–1807), "Palm House" at 33 Pils Street (b. 18th century).
no. 2674-2766, 2685 .: Aluksne manor buildings - New Castle (1860–1863), round tower, stable, barn
no. 2679: Alūksne Public Society House (former brewery) at Brūža Street 7 (1927–1929)
no. 2682-283: Alūksne Old Castle at O. Vācieša Street 2a (1793—1794), manager's house at O. Vācieša Street 8
no. 7424 .: Alūksne city historical center (19th century)
no. 2686-2968: elevator at K. Barona Street 1 (1939), bank at Brūža Street 1 (1927—1931), residential building at Brūža Street 4 (b. 19th century), Alūksne Gymnasium building at Glika Street 10 (1938), Alūksne Orthodox Church at Helēnas Street 56 (1895), residential buildings at Jāņkalna Street 8 and Jāņkalna Street 25, old gymnasium building at Jāņkalna Street 38 (1913–1914), Bahnhof's Hotel at Jāņkalna Street 51 (1910–1912), Anna Agricultural Society House “Economy "Lielais ezera Street 4 (1912), residential building at Lielais ezera Street 7 (1934), residential building at Lielais ezera Street 11 (1910—1911), Aluksne Castle Pub" Šloskrogs "at Ošu Street 5 (19th century - 1932)
no. 2699 .: Jaunaluksne Castle at Ozolu Street 1 (2nd floor of the 19th century)
no. 2700, 2915 .: Alūksne Lutheran Church at Pils Street 25 (1781–1788), altar (18th century), organ (1885), door sets (4), interior decoration, pulpit.