When we think of the crusades, we normally think of the wars in the Holy Lands. There was another crusade that occurred in the 1200s, the Northern Crusade, where the goal was to Christianize the pagans in the Baltics. We had lovely weather for visiting three of the ruined castles in Northern Latvia that were built by the Northern Crusaders. The castles are named after the towns where they are located.
All are partially restored ruins.
The weather was lovely for being outside, but the cloudless skies and bright sunshine made photography rather difficult.
1. Cesis Castle - built by the Teutonic Order warrior - monks
2. Sigulda Castle - built by the Livonian Brothers of the Sword warrior monks
3. Turaida Castle - Another castle built by the Livonian Brothers; this one was made of bricks rather than stones. This shot was taken from Sigulda Castle; the two were not all that far apart, but on opposite sides of the Gauja River.