Turaida castle in Sigulda, 50 km North-East from the capital of Latvia. Turaida Museum reserve covers an area of 41 hectares, it is located on the right Bank of the river Gauja. In the reserve there are 37 historic buildings. Turaida Museum reserve is one of the most popular museums of Latvia, according to statistics, it is visited annually by about 170 thousand tourists.

The castle was founded in 1214. Bishop Philip at the direction of the Riga Bishop Buxhowden founded Turaida castle. Upon completion of the construction of the castle was called "Fredеland", which translated from German means "Peaceful land". However, this name caught on, and to have survived called "Turaida", which translated from the language of ancient Livs meant "Divine garden".

For several centuries the Turaida castle retained its strategic value. However, in 1776, after the fire, the fortress was almost completely burned down. In the early 19th century in the courtyard of a medieval castle was a mansion. Then built houses and barns, stables and other outbuildings. In 1924, the ruins of Turaida castle were listed as historical buildings protected by the state. To restore the fortress began only after the Second World war, so the restoration began almost 200 years after the destruction of the castle in the fire.

So, the repair work began in 1953, the main tower of Turaida castle was restored first. In 1974 the fortress launched large-scale archaeological excavations and research. Starting in 1976. In the result of archeological excavations was discovered about 5000 vintage finds, the most interesting of these were found ancient furnace, bath with well brewery, coins, etc.

An interesting finding was already mentioned furnace that warmed the castle. The warm air from the furnace was made up of the voids in masonry, then it spread along the walls and under the floors of the castle, thus the perfect warming the fortress. Interestingly, the same principle of heating was used in the baths in Ancient Rome.

The result at the time of excavation, except the findings, was about 1000 pages of text, which described the items found, besides the participants of the excavation was about 500 schemes and plans and have done about 7000 photos.

Restored the main tower of Turaida castle, whose height is 26 meters, now used as an observation deck, which offers breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside, which for its beauty has been called the Latvian Switzerland. To climb to the observation deck via a very narrow and low passages with stone steps. The height of the stroke a little over five feet, and the width of just two feet.

In addition to the Observation baths restored and also other objects of Turaida castle: walls, Semicircular and of the North tower and South tower. In a renovated commercial building since 1962, the exposition of the Museum-reserve.

Archaeological excavations, begun in the middle of the last century, do not stop today. Therefore, new items are constantly added to the Museum Fund. Turaida castle is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Latvia. Here concerts of ancient and modern music, as well as organize various events, exhibitions and other cultural events. In the courtyard of the castle craftsmen.

The castle has a Legend about the rose of Turaida. According to legend, in 1601, Swedish troops occupied the castle. After the battle Palace scribe Greif among the dead found the exhausted girl. He brought her home and undertook to educate. It happened in may, so the girl he decided to call Maya.

After years Maya has become so beautiful that it became known as the Turaida Rose. On the opposite Bank of the Gauja lived with her groom, gardener Sigulda castle, Victor Heel. Evenings Maya and Victor met in the caves. Victor left of this cave dug another little. In anticipation of meetings with his bride he adorned a small cave flowers. Today this cave is called by the name of Victor.

The beauty of Maya was passionate about one of the mercenaries managing Turaida castle Adam Jakubowski, which the Manager was going to soon be fired. All courtships and proposals of Adam Turaida rose rejected. Then Adam decided to take revenge on Maya and take her by force. In this he was assisted by his buddy pēteris Scurities.

In August 1620 Maya received an invitation (supposedly from Victor) to hold an urgent meeting in the cave. Came to the meeting, the Maya saw Jakubowski and Securities and realized that she had been deceived. Then she shouted: "Stop! Now you will see for yourself in the power of the handkerchief. I get nicked. Sword with you, ruby hard and I won't cause any harm". Adam was struck with a sword covered with a scarf on the neck of Maya. Blood gushed immediately, she fell without even a moan. Adam realized that there was a "terrible beast" and ran deeper into the forest. Some time later, Scurities found Adam in the woods, hanging in the sling of his sword.

Scurities and Adam thought that the shawl has some magical power, so none of them had expected such an outcome, and only then Scurities realized that Maya decided to do so because he thought it was better to die than lose honor.

That night Victor came to the cave to meet with Maya and found her bloodied body. In Maya's death blamed Victor, as in the cave found a hatchet gardener. The judges decided to beat a confession out of Victor, with the assistance of torture, from which he was saved by the testimony of Securities. Peteris of Securities the crime is not haunted, so he came to court and told the story. The crime is solved. The gardener Victor and clerk Greif insisted to punish the visitors, so as not to disgrace the memory of Maya blood, plus they did not see it as a direct perpetrator of the crime.

The remains of the Maya were with all the honors buried, Victor personally put a cross on her grave, and then left the country, as a broken heart could find no rest here. Corpse killer Jakubowski buried in the swamp. Scurities's been in jail for 4 months, during this time, he deeply repented, and then expelled from the country.

The legend of Turaida rose coined Vidzeme party court court Magnus von Wolfeld. Found archival documents Vidzeme court court indicate that the legend is based on real events. Although the veracity of the legend about the rose of Turaida repeatedly challenged.