Livonian order castle, or rather its ruins, is located in Valmiera, on the right Bank of the Gauja river, at the confluence of the river Retape, about fifty meters to the North-East of the Lutheran Church of St. Simon.

Under the assumptions of historians in the early thirteenth century at the mouth of the river Retape of a castle of the latgallian Outine. Approximately 1208 here are the rules Validates. His lands were part of the ancient territory of Talawa. The inhabitants of these lands were Russian Orthodox and paying tribute to the Pskov princes.

In 1224 the Latgalian lands were conquered, divided, and Valmiera district became the property of the Livonian order. The researchers suggest that the castle was built here after 1224. In another version of the castle was built in 1283 by the master of the order Villicana from Angoche (Saarburg). The castle in the historical essays of the thirteenth century is not mentioned.

At the beginning of the fourteenth century near the castle there was a settlement with a castle common facilities for defense. Beyond the castle is quite often mentioned in the Chronicles, because there are often important events.

In 1560, when the Livonian war, the castle was surrounded by troops of Ivan the terrible, but take it they failed. In 1577 the castle again was surrounded by Russian forces, who this time managed to capture it. During the retreat, the castle was partially destroyed.

After the Polish-Swedish war in 1600-1629 years, the castle belonged to the Swedes. In the second half of the XVII century the castle was strengthened, have been poured earthen ramparts and bastions were made. In 1702, during the great Northern war, Valmiera castle was occupied by the troops of Peter I. the Castle was burned and never rebuilt.

The castle was built on the right Bank of the Gauja river, near the mouth of the river Retape, in place of the Latgalian castle. In the lower reaches of the river Retape was the lake of the mill, covering the approaches to the castle from the North and East. The South side of the river Gauja. And in the West there was a spacious trench width of 30 meters and a depth of 6 meters. He shared the castle and settlement. The main castle and przemoc had a length of 100 meters and a width of 30-50 meters. It is an irregular quadrilateral. The city wall was built, conforming to the local topography, and reached a thickness of 2, 25 meters. Along the walls there were residential and office space. At the corners of prejemke was 2 watchtower. Rode to the castle through the settlement and przemoc, and lifting over the moat led to the main castle.

From the defensive side of the city remained protective moat and small fragments of the North-Western, Western and South-Western city walls. And in the castle you can see the buildings of the XVIII–XIX centuries, which was the nucleus of the little historical centre of Valmiera.

To have survived some historical traditions, which say that the crusaders forced the inhabitants of Valmiera region to gather for the construction of the castle huge stones of pagan cult places. They say that at night in these parts the rocks are lit. Boulders cherish the memory of a time when knights forced the tribes of the Balts transfer for the construction of the stone castle guards-giants of places of worship, where people offered sacrifices to the gods. For that pagan gods took revenge on the inhabitants of the castle. Here happens all the troubles and misfortunes. People have died from unexplained illnesses, suicide, and when out of the darkness appeared the face of a man from another world, then went mad and threw themselves from the walls into the ditch. Also in the legend says that the first crusade, which was ordered to drag the stones from pagan places died a horrible death. And during the construction of Valmiera castle on the territory went to the barrels and took the milk from the local people, and no matter how much they had cows. And this was done in order to knead in milk of lime, which is why the old masonry is so strong.

Ruins Valmiera order castle and the remains of the medieval city fortification near the Gauja river are a reminder of the centre of Valmiera from the XIII century to our time.