IN late XVII - At the beginning of the 18th century, pastor Johann Ernst Gluck lived in Aluksne (Marienburg), who was the first to translate the Bible into Latvian.
Pastor Gluck had a pupil, a poor orphan. Although, in fact, he used her as a servant. Her name was Marta Skavronskaya.
Empress of All Russia Catherine I.
True, which will be discussed below, was built much later.
Myths and facts
The city of Marienburg (Aluksne) with its surroundings was granted to Mikhail Illarionovich Vorontsov, the future count and state chancellor, in 1742. Together with Princess Elizabeth, he arrived at the barracks of the Preobrazhensky regiment on the night of November 25, 1741, and took part in the arrest of Anna Leopoldovna. There was a reason to reward, many estates were received by the future count, including Marienburg. But, never appearing on the shores of Lake Aluksne, Vorontsov sold this city to Otto Hermann von Fitinghoff.
One of the ancestors of Otto Hermann (most likely a cousin) - Arnold von Fitinghof in 1342 became the first commander of the Order's castle, which stood on the island of Lake Marienburg.
Otto Hermann von Fitinghof-Schell served in the army in his youth, participated in many campaigns and battles. In 1757, at the age of 35, he retired and married. He had many estates (about 30) throughout Livonia, but Fitingof lived in the Zolitude estate near Riga. Otto Hermann made a brilliant career in the civil service, became a privy councilor and senator. Von Fitinghof built the first special building for the theater in Riga, and later actually kept the theater. In addition, he was the first in Livonia to engage in distilling - the production and sale of wine. The honorary nickname of Otto Hermann von Fitinghof-Schell is "The uncrowned king of Livonia".
Otto Hermann's son, Christian Burchard von Fitinghof-Schell, is the author and initiator of the park in Marienburg. The Temple of Aeolus, the mausoleum, and various other attractions are his merits.
The next ruler of Marienburg, the Guard Staff Captain Alexander Josef von Fitinghof-Schell, son of Christian Burchard, followed the emerging fashion and wished to live in the castle. Construction began in 1859, and the New Marienburg Castle was completed in 1863. Construction work was carried out under the guidance of the Prussian architect Paul Benjamin Polinau, the style of architecture is English neo-Gothic.
The von Fitinghof family was certainly baronial, and the head of the family was sometimes called a baron. But officially the baronial title for the surname von Fitinghof - Schell was recognized in 1868.
Marienburg (Aluksne) remained in the possession of the Fitinghof family until 1920, when, like all other estates, it was requisitioned by the state.
Now there is a museum in the New Castle.
What to see
Aluksne New Age Castle is not very close to the medieval castle, but not far away - 850 meters, ten minutes walk.
A fairly significant part of the city of Aluksne is occupied by a park, arranged by Christian Burchard von Fitinghof-Schell.
The towns Aluksne and Gulbene, which are located in the north-eastern corner of Latvia, which are connected, are interesting in their own right. In modern times, they are twins - both received the status of a city under the First Republic (Aluksne in 1920, Gulbene in 1928), both are known for their neo-Gothic estates, both have a population of over 8 thousand people. Gulbene is more tidy, but Aluksne is more historical - there is a castle, an old church, and in addition it is the birthplace of Empress Catherine I.
And yet - this is most likely the last, at least the penultimate post about Latvia before a long break before winter.
As already mentioned in the last part, in Gulbene I arrived at 10 am and the train left at 12:55. In general, three hours is too much to go to the manor house on the other side of the city and come back. The houses of the railway station settlement - in some places Latvian towns cannot be distinguished from Russian ones, especially taking into account the northern nature:
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Wayward houses - it is difficult to confuse them with something:
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The impressive church (2000) reminds of the proximity of Latgale. And if there is an Orthodox Church here, I don't even know. Although you can hear Russian speech here on the streets.
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Previously, Gulbene was called Schwanenburg, and was founded in 1340 as an episcopal castle, the northern outpost of the Riga archbishopric, destroyed in the Livonian War and never rebuilt. Since 1763, the local estate of the Wulfs has been known, but the city itself began to develop, apparently, with the construction of a railway. In the interwar period, it was called in guidebooks "the city of flowering gardens", and in general it is still relevant today - the city is poor, but cozy and decorated:
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From the station to the estate, I walked for 30-40 minutes, through some completely nondescript terrain. In fact, the city center remained to the right along a parallel street, and I returned through it.
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The entrance to the Starogulbenskoye estate, it is also Vecgulbene or Altshvanenburg, turned out to be through the territory of the ATP - to the left behind the barn there were buses in a row:
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Alas, I forgot to photograph the scheme of the estate (and of course there is a stand here), and therefore I will not reproduce the purpose of the buildings from memory. I will only say that the outbuildings in Vecgulbene turned out to be more beautiful than palaces:
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In the background is the butt of the house from previous shots, and in front, as I remember, is a backyard cheese dairy. Now these buildings are occupied by some institutions:
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Monument to the Fighters for Independence (1929) against the backdrop of a restaurant and a hotel that seem to occupy the former riding hall:
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Across the road is a church (1843). I suspect she lost the tower during the Soviet era:
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But in general, the estate disappointed me and that I was already on its territory, I did not immediately guess. The fact is that its main monument, the White Palace of the 1760s, to the design of which Rastrelli was allegedly even attracted, is in a state of what is called "the most severe restoration":
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All other buildings are from the second half of the 19th century, such as this greenhouse, now occupied by the museum of local lore:
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I asked the same women near the car where the Red Palace was - and it turned out that this was it:
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The reverse side is much more picturesque. Just like in England - you can imagine in this palace, by the fireplace, an old lord-writer in an Indian dressing gown and with a pipe, looking alone into the fire. In fact, the Red Palace was built by Baron Heinrich Wulf for his wife Marissa.
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Houses near the estate:
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I went back to the station by another road. Typically Baltic-looking five-story buildings with flower beds on the balconies, cottages, and then - just like ours, vegetable gardens.
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Still, a very strange fad to decorate houses with wheels:
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Actually, the center of Gulbene is quite lively and well-groomed. The last rays of the Sun before the creeping gloom:
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Several rather expressive buildings from the times of the First Republic have survived here:
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Aluksne
Which I ended up with photographs of the dead end station in Aluksne. As already mentioned, the northern half of the line to Valka was dismantled in the 1970s, and the railway station in Aluksne is located on the southern outskirts, and it takes 10-15 minutes to go to the center from here through rather unassuming areas.
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I wonder what this building is? It looks like the barracks of the times of the First Republic, but in Riga similar houses on the outskirts were certified to me as barracks for German prisoners of war who rebuilt cities after the war.
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More houses on the way to the center. Eh, this lush vegetation right in the cities pleases me! No irony.
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Finally I went to the old manor. If there are White and Red castles in Gulbene, then in Aluksne there are Old and New: the first was founded in 1342 as the Order's Marienburg (apparently in opposition to the episcopal Schwanenburg), the second - in 1742 as a possession granted by Elizabeth to Count Vorontsov for the fact that helped to neutralize Anna Leopoldovna. He, however, almost immediately sold the gift, and it was not bought by anyone, but Otto Hermann von Fittinghof - at that time almost the most influential baron in Livonia and, in addition, a distant descendant of Arnold Fittinghof, the first commander of this little Marienburg.
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However, Otto Hermann, however, did not appear in the future Aluksne either - the park was founded by his son, and the present palace was erected in 1859-63 by his grandson. It seems that apart from the palace there is a lot of everything - all sorts of pavilions (including a wooden one in honor of Alexander I, built in 1822), but I did not even look for them. Why? Well, first of all, I am showing this manor first in Vidzeme - but I saw it last! And after Berini, Ungurmuiža, "new castles" of Cesis and Sigulda and a dozen slightly different, but still similar Courland estates, the manor architecture of the 19th century just became familiar to me. In addition - rain, wet feet, fatigue ... It is good that in Latvia, unlike Lithuania, this is not interpreted by readers as deliberate neglect.
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Below the castle is a war memorial, plaques with the names of the fallen are visible in the title frame:
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In general, the palace is small - but in my opinion one of the most beautiful in Vidzeme:
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Soon I hobbled to the autoport, and decided to leave as quickly as possible - but it turned out that the nearest bus was only in 3 hours, and I could get to Riga on it at 10 pm. In fact, now I am glad that fate kept me from cowardice, and although I never returned to the estate, the only thing left was to go for a walk around the city. Aluksne, in comparison with Gulbene, turned out to be much more neglected, and the contingent here, frankly, is not very pleasant, in the canteen near the bus station, where the food is as cheap as it is tasteless, I was uncomfortable sitting.
Nevertheless, the main street has been dug up, that is, soon there will be tiles, fences and bike paths. In Aluksne, standing by old road from Riga to Petersburg, historical Center The 1920s and 1930s are much more complete and holistic than in Gulbene.
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The other side of the same street. The clock is on the square near the autoport ... which, however, here is a good old Soviet bus station with a route map of the area above the ticket windows, which probably has not known repair since the days of Leonid Ilyich. Here you can see disappointment - the spire of the church that dominates the city is packed in forests:
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The hefty barn in the yard is clearly part of the estate:
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In principle, the whole building in Aluksne is literally one block between the auto-port and the church. Here's the other side of it:
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As for the church, built in 1781-90 on the site of its predecessor, besides the fact that it itself is one of the most beautiful in Latvia, a milestone in Latvian and Russian history is associated with it.
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The pastor's house, which seems to have been preserved from the 17th century church, is now shared by the tourist center and the Gluck Bible Museum. The latter turned out to be closed on the occasion of Sunday (in Latvia, by the way, half of the museums have Sunday-Monday days off instead of the usual Monday-Tuesday), but half of the exposition is visible through the window - hefty folios, in which I still would not understand much.
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And if you walk that way for a kilometer along the main street, you can go to the "Pastor Gluck's oaks". But! If you think that walking a kilometer along the excavated street, when there is not even rain in the air, but fine water dust that has soaked me to the skin in 10 minutes, hiding under a waterproof jacket, is easy - you are very mistaken! In general, hobbling there, clenching my teeth past the five-storey quarters, I only dreamed of finding myself in the Middle Aizat desert as soon as possible, and I called my goal nothing more than "glitchy oaks". According to legend, Ernst Gluck, after translating each Bible book, planted a tree, and these two oak trees have survived from the alley planted by him since then ... but I have a strong feeling that they younger than years that way at 150-200, a three-century oak still looks a little different.
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Gluck also indirectly influenced Russian history: his pupil was Marta Skavronskaya, whose parents died of the plague in 1684. Where they lived and who she was, respectively, by nationality, historians still argue - some say, a Latvian or even a Lithuanian from near Kegums, others - an Estonian from near Dorpat, since Marienburg was just halfway there. Be that as it may, when Russian troops entered Livonia in 1702, Gluck was first taken to Moscow as a prisoner and kept in prison for several weeks, but then an educated German was invited to the Russian service, founded the first gymnasium in Moscow and even wrote poetry based on -Russian. Well, Marta (a year earlier married to the dragoon Kruse, who died in the same battles) became a marching servant and apparently the mistress of Field Marshal Boris Sheremetev, then moved with the same duties to Menshikov, and then to Peter I himself, who nicknamed her Katerina and judging by He really fell in love with everything and, according to the memoirs of his contemporaries, only rested with her soul. In 1707, she was baptized into Orthodoxy and received the name Ekaterina Mikhailova (since Mikhailov is an incognito signature of Peter I himself), in 1712 she became the official wife of the emperor, and after his death - the empress, the first official woman ruler of Russia since Princess Olga. She ruled, however, not for long - but the feminine principle in power was marked by the entire 18th century, perhaps the most successful century of Russian history.
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From the church I went down to the Aluksnes lake - it is actually quite large (6 km in diameter), but the city stands on a narrow bay, most of which is occupied by the Castle Island (or Pilsala).
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Boat garages by the water are amazingly colorful:
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There seems to be a gymnasium near the shore:
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The cellar which looks at the island, at the ruins of the Marienburg castle:
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Near the bridge there is a lake with natural lotuses. A man on a rubber boat fiddled with something under the water for a long time, periodically he almost turned up swearing in Russian (Latvians can do that!) spot fountain. A wooden pavilion in the distance is occupied by a small restaurant, where it was very pleasant to dine under the smell of wet wood in the warmth.
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There are reeds in the lake:
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And the ruins of the castle are small, but they look severe and medieval. Arnold Fitinghof was French by birth, his real name was Arnaud de Bettencourt, and he was a fugitive Templar: in 1307 this legendary order was destroyed by order of the French king, and its knights were put on trial - the leaders were burned at the stake, the rank and file were sentenced to hard labor or exiled to monasteries. The Templars are generally fanned with legends before fantasy, and local legend says that Betancourt took the Templars' treasures with him and hid them in the basements of the castle, and Peter I dug up and built Petersburg with this money.
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There is now a football field under the ancient walls:
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Inside - summer theater:
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And there, on the "mainland", is the same school and cellar:
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What will be the next one and when it will be - I do not promise anything. Who subscribed to me exclusively for the Baltics - soon you will have to insult your eyes with the "scoop" (Chernobyl) and "Asiatic" (Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan). Well, who is already thinking of unsubscribing from me for the Baltic states - soon, I hope (
If you are going to visit Aluksne, be sure to take a few days to get to know this amazing city. Believe me, you will be very sorry if you drop in here just passing or stay for one day. You will revisit the incredible photos taken in Aluksne countless times.
Aluksne - Latvia in all its glory
Aluksne is a city in the northeastern part, located near the border with two countries: Russia. Distance to - 202 km.
The first mention of this settlement dates back to 1284, but until 1917 the city was called "Marienburg" (in honor of the Virgin Mary). Most of the history of Aluksne is associated with the Livonian Order. It was he who built many centuries ago fortresses and castles on the shore of the lake, which tourists from all over the world come to see today.
The current name of the city comes from the Latvian Alūksne - "spring / spring in the forest". This land is really rich water resources... On the territory of Aluksne there is a lake of the same name, which is the 11th largest lake among all Latvian lakes. In addition to the picturesque shores, this reservoir is famous for having 4 islands: Dlinny, Shapochka, Zamkovy (Mariinsky) and Island of nets.
sights
In this place powerful ancient cultures have merged together. The city was once occupied by Finnish-speaking tribes, German crusaders, Rusichi, the Polish-Lithuanian state, and the Swedes. And all this to some extent was reflected in local attractions.
The best attractions in Aluksne:
The town of Aluksne attracts not only tourists, but also wealthy residents of other countries. Real estate is in demand here. And the reason for that is beautiful nature, measured calm lifestyle and very clean air. There is not a single heavy industry enterprise in the city and its environs, and residents of Aluksne do not know what "traffic jams", "rush hour" are, as well as huge business centers filled with vanity and stress.
Where to stay?
There are always a lot of tourists in Aluskna, so there are a lot of hotels here. If you are going to devote all your free time to exploring the sights of the city, you can stay at one of the inexpensive hotelswhere the cost of living ranges from 10 to € 18 (per night):
- Jaunsētas (2.5 km);
- Apartamenti Sia Ack Būve (0.8 km);
- Alūksnes Nami (1.8 km)
- Ierullē (0.3 km).
Distance from the city center is indicated in brackets.
In Aluksne, there are also many hotels of increased comfort with an extended range of services. Accommodation in them will cost you from € 24 to € 177 (per night). Premium hotels:
- Holiday Apartment (0.2 km);
- Retumi (6.9 km);
- Jolanta (1 km);
- Jost Residence (3.5 km).
The city also has a hostel Atpūtas centrs Paideri... For a night in it, you will pay about € 10.
Things to do?In addition to excursions, entertainment in Aluksne includes many interesting activities. Among them:
Shopping lovers are advised to look into the gift shop Gifts by SIA Rever A (Blaumana 5-2Aluksne 4301) and shopping center Apdrukas Darbnīca (Tirgotāju 11 Aluksne 4301). Here you can buy souvenirs, gifts to friends and family.
restaurants and barsYou can have a snack in Aluksne on almost every street. There are several canteens ( Unti, Andalo), pizzeria Pajumte, as well as many cafes ( Abols, Cepurite, Gustins, Altins, Aluksne).
Taste exquisite dishes national cuisine you can in any restaurant in the city: Pie Martas, Jolanta, Katrinkrogs, Pajumte... In the evening you will be welcomed by the bars of Aluksne: Luna, Klondaika Alгksne, Vinotazs.
Interesting Facts
- Aluksne rises above all (it is the highest located city in the country, 200 m above sea level);
- there is a legend that, having seized Aluksne, the Russians took out the treasures of the Templars hidden in the ancient castle (some historians believe that it was these jewels that were invested in the construction of St. Petersburg);
- in 1750, the Russian empress Elizabeth handed Aluksne to Count Mikhail Vorontsov as a token of gratitude for helping her in the coup of 1741;
- Banitis is the only operating narrow-gauge railway in the Baltics;
- every year in September, in the Aluksne Museum of Peasant Life at the Ates mill, a harvest festival is held (guests are treated to fresh bread, herbal teas and zaboristy Vidzeme moonshine, the participants sing songs and show theatrical performances).
If you are traveling by car, the most convenient way is to take the A2 “-Pskov” highway. Follow it to the intersection with the P27 "-" highway, then turn to Gublen. A straight road will lead you to Aluksne. The duration of the journey from Riga is 2.5 hours.
From the Riga bus station, trains leave daily to Aluksne (travel time - 3 hours, 10 minutes).
You can also get to Gublene from Riga by train and then get to Aluksne by bus (distance - 17 km).
Useful information for tourists about Aluksne in Latvia - geographical position, tourist infrastructure, map, architectural features and attractions.
The town of Aluksne is located in the north-eastern part of Latvia on the shore of Lake Aluksne. The city has a lot of natural resources, and besides, it is developing rapidly. In addition, Aluksne is rich in water resources, as well as natural and architectural monuments and objects. For the first time its name, like "Alust" and "Volost", was mentioned in the Pskov historical chronicles in 1284.
Aluksne received the status of a town in 1920, when its population reached 2000 inhabitants. Aluksne is a border town located in the north-eastern part of Latvia, 202 km from the capital. Its area is 14.2 square kilometers, and the population is about 10 thousand people. Aluksne is the highest located among the cities of Latvia, the height above sea level is 200 meters.
One of the most important and most importantly picturesque sights of the city is Lake Aluksne, which occupies the 11th largest place among lakes in Latvia. Lake Aluksne is surrounded by picturesque shores, in addition, there are 4 islands on it: Shapochka, Zamkovy, Dlinny and Island of Nets. Maximum depth reaches 15 meters.
On the Castle (Mariinsky) island of Lake Aluksne are the ruins of the Livonian Order castle. The castle, built of stone, was built in 1342. After the foundation of the castle, a settlement was gradually formed around the fortress. Building material for the castle of the Livonian Order there was a local cobblestone, the thickness of the walls in some places reached almost 2 meters. The castle was badly damaged during the Northern War. In 1702, the Swedes, during the retreat, blew up the fortress. And since then, no one has restored it. The Mariinsky Island is connected with the mainland by a wooden bridge, which is 120 meters long.
There is a Lutheran church in the city, which was built in the period from 1781 to 1788. Aluksne Lutheran Church is an example of early classicism architecture. This temple is visible from almost anywhere in Aluksne. An organ takes its place in the church, the date of its creation is 1885. It was made in an organ workshop in Riga. There is also an Orthodox church in Aluksne, which was built at the end of the 19th century. The altar part is decorated with a two-tiered iconostasis.
Another attraction of the city is the narrow-line railway Banitis, which connects the cities of Gulbene and Aluksne. This narrow ruler began to function in 1903. Its length is 33 km, and its width is 75 cm. railroad carried out daily passenger Transportation... And they ride this route not only localsrushing about their business, but also tourists. Moreover, some of the carriages are furnished in the style of the early 20th century, in addition, there is a guide presenting fascinating stories about the country and the region, as well as the secrets of the forest.
Aluksne is located in the north-eastern part of Latvia, on south bank Lake Aluksne, 200 km from Riga. The territory of the city occupies 14.2 km2, the population is about 10 thousand people. Due to its hilly relief, this city is the highest in Latvia - about 200 m above sea level. Aluksne was first mentioned in the 1st and 2nd Pskov Chronicles of 1284. In 1342, a castle of the Livonian Order was erected on Mariinsky Island, the commander of which was Arnold Fitingof. In 1560, during the Livonian War, the castle was destroyed by the troops of the Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible, and in subsequent years it passed from hand to hand. In 1702, during the Northern War, it was occupied by the Russian army under the command of B. Sheremetev. In the 18th century, the Russian Empress Catherine II presented Aluksna to her chancellor, Count M. Vorontsov, who later sold it to Baron O. G. von Fitinghof. This baronial family made a significant contribution to the development of Aluksne.Unfortunately, I don't have a helicopter, I had to insert someone else's work - it's a very good shot. Lake Aluksne is the 11th largest lake in Latvia. The lake is surrounded picturesque shores, and there are four islands on it: Shapochka, Zamkovy, Dlinny and Ostrov nets. All other pictures are mine.
The ruins of the Livonian Order castle are located on the Castle, or Mariinsky, island - the largest on Lake Aluksne. The stone castle of the Livonian Order was built in 1342, later a settlement was formed near it. The castle was built from local cobblestones, the thickness of its protective walls reached 1.85 m. Retreating in 1702, the Swedes blew up the castle, and since then it has not been restored.
In principle, there is no restoration work today either. The ruins were preserved and that's all
And maybe it’s better - the feeling of authenticity remains
View of the lake from a 120-meter bridge connecting the island to the mainland
The lake is located in the Vaidava lowland of the Aluksne Upland at an altitude of 183.7 m above sea level. The greatest depth of the lake is 15.2 m, its area is 15.44 km ?, and together with the islands - 15.57 km?. The length in the north-south direction is 6 km.
Aluksne Lutheran Church was built in 1781-1788 and is a remarkable example of early classicism architecture in Latvia. In the temple there is an organ, built in 1885 in an orphanage in Riga.
The church is clearly visible from almost anywhere in the city.
And from here too
The Aluxensian Orthodox Church was built in 1895. It belongs to the Alyxenian Holy Trinity Community. Its altarpiece is decorated with a two-level icon, as well as small side altarpieces with icons and images of saints from the end of the XIX - beginning of the XX century.
The Orthodox Church is located in a very densely built-up area and it was not easy to find the right angle in order to get a complete presentation of the complex. Have to look piece by piece
There are 2 castles in the city - one from the end of the 18th century, and the second from the middle of the 19th century. But they are not in my gallery. Between the castles and the lake, there is a magnificent old park with century-old oak trees.
Small pond with lilies
For those who do not have enough `` pure '' nature, include an illuminated fountain
House - a private practice doctor's office
The city is full of flowers - one of the reasons is this seedling shop
Another pond on the border between the park and the city. On the opposite side are the signs of a new city
I am not a fan of modern buildings and rarely rent them. But Aluksne is a pleasant exception - the style of the old town is carefully preserved here. There are, of course, objects of large-panel housing construction, but they are on the sidelines and do not climb into the eyes
Let's walk through the city center
