Vedensky castle is the largest and better preserved of the remaining orders of medieval castles in Latvia. It is located in the centre of cēsis, went down in history under the German name of Wenden. Based Wenden a little later after the castle of the same name, probably the wends (or wends), as indicated by the name. Lock created on the site of a wooden fortress of the people.

Vedensky castle was built in that has a strategic importance. Here converge the trade route to Pskov, Dorpat, Lithuania. He later became part of a system of fortifications Gouskova corridor, protecting the land in Estonia and Northern Latvia.

In 1206 by the knights of the Order of the sword, under the guidance of master Tively (Wine) von Rohrbach began construction of the stone castle. After 3 years, the building was completed. The year of the beginning of the creation of the castle is regarded as the year of the Foundation of Cesis.

After the battle of Saule in 1236 part of the broken Order of the sword entered the Teutonic order and formed the Livonian Order as a branch of the Teutonic order.

Since the beginning of the year 1237, for many years Vedensky castle was the residence of the master of the Livonian order, but with some interruptions, since approximately half of the time the residence was located in Riga. From the original castle remains of the nave of the chapel in the Eastern part of the castle and fragments of architectural details in white stone late-Roman type. Commonly, in the castle lived about 30 knights. Located near their families and mercenaries.

The castle was rebuilt in the late XIV - early XV centuries. Remained two buildings joined at a right angle, located on the South-West and South-East, and two of the main tier of the West tower. Not far from it was the entry to the courtyard, and fragments of the outer arched galleries. The walls were built of fieldstone and boulders. Apparently, the Windows in the castle were decorated with beautiful covers in white stone.

In the late XV - early XVI centuries, when the rules of master Walter von Plettenberg, had constructed two round towers for artillery with a wall thickness of more than four meters, and a network of formulav.

Vedensky castle underwent many attacks and withstood a lot of sieges. In 1577 the troops of Ivan the terrible it nearly destroyed. And in 1748 the castle burned down during the fire of the city. In 1777 the family of Baron Sievers bought the land and rebuilt the castle, turning it into a Palace designed in the Gothic style. After the adoption of Latvia's independence, Vedensky castle was restored.

Currently work is underway on the restoration Ventennio castle in Cesis. In good condition located West tower, which is the master's room. Look good tower Ladimer, outbuildings and East tower. It is a refectory – remter in which dined knights.

For exploring the castle tour issued a flashlight, and that's very interesting – a medieval helmet to give a special flavor and in order to defend against attacks in the dark corridors of the shoals and narrow spiral staircases. In the basement there is the prison of the castle, which you can visit.

Interesting is the fact that the writer A. Bestuzhev-Marlinsky, Decembrist, has created a novel about Viedenska the castle and its noble owner – "the Castle of Wenden. An excerpt from the diary of a guards officer. May 23, 1821" (this is one of his four "Livonian novels").

Vedensky castle in Cesis is a unique attraction, as this is the most extensive and best preserved medieval castle in Latvia.