Āraiši Lake and surroundings

Vidzeme

Listen to the landscape

Cultural and historical treasures abound on the shores of Āraiši Lake. An archaeological monument unique in Europe – the Araiši Ezerpils (fortified settlement) is located on a small island in a bay. Araiši Church and the Āraiši castle mound with its medieval ruins are on the shore, but Stone and Bronze Age dwellings have been reconstructed on the southern part of the peninsula. The Ezerpils, peninsula and castle ruins are included in the Āraiši Archaeological park, established in 1983.

The first excavations of the Āraiši ezerpils were made by the Baltic-German archaeologist Karl Georg von Sievers. The later scientific archaeological research was led by Jānis Apals, archaeologist and renowned discoverer of Latvia’s lake fortresses.
The nearby Araiši windmill was built in the middle of the 19th century. Such Dutch-type windmills have been built near Latvian castles and manors since the 14th century. It operated until the First World War.
Āraiši Church was initially a two-part building without a bell tower, the current appearance dates back to 1791. The year of its initial construction is unknown.