Alūksne’s historic centre with its lake, parks, castle and palaces

Vidzeme

Listen to the landscape

Known as the pearl of northern Vidzeme, Alūksne is situated on the picturesque shores of Lake Alūksne. The ruins of a Livonian Order castle are located on the lake’s largest island – Marijas or Pilssala (Castle island). The stronghold, completed in 1342, has 1.85-metre thick masonry walls with eight towers and was one of the Livonian Order’s strongest fortresses, but was destroyed during the 18^th-century Great Northern War. The Alūksne palace park is home to the Jaunā (New) Palace, a remarkable example of the mid-19th century Neo-Gothic style, and the Vecā (Old) or Ezermala (Lakeside) Palace, built in the classicism style.

Tempļa kalns (Temple Hill), on the shore of Lake Alūksne, is the former site of the town, which, in the Middle Ages, was connected to the island by a 120-metre-long wooden drawbridge.
Two oaks planted by Ernst Glück more than 300 years ago continue to prosper, while the Alūksne Lutheran Church has a first edition of his Latvian translation of the Bible.
The Alūksne Orthodox Church, built at the instigation of estate owner Otto von Vietinghoff, is constructed of colourful, sculpted boulders.