Dobele castle

Castle and forest

In 1729, the last inhabitants left the castle, and it has never lived. The surrounding people noticed it and began to slowly disassemble the walls and buildings, using stones for the construction of their homes and farm structures.

We decided to go to one of the most sacred and the most mysterious places of Latvia, on the way stopped in the town of Dobele is to inspect it and what is left of the ancient castle there. The route is a pleasant, interesting, exactly on the day. First on the itinerary was a castle.

Castle

Once in our limits came the sword-crusaders, they just did what they built fortresses and fortified castles. Historians all built counted and found that in the period from 1185 to 1562 in the year in the territory of Latvia was erected about 150 castles. About because the exact number impossible to establish, because a lot of built was completely destroyed, as a building material disappeared up to the last stone. And some of the locks, being of wood, burned down to the present day have not reached at all.

Proudest order longer and castles would be more and enough.With the most interesting of the Livonian castles can be found on the website of Renata Rimsha, our most prominent historians, in front of a huge knowledge and ability to present them I take my hat off.

At the beginning of our historiography, i.e. in the early XIII century, Dobele castle was one of the centers of ancient Semigallians. German knights who brought the light of Christianity here, this center for some reason not liked, they in 1257 chopped local soldiers and got themselves in the castle, emptying out regular raids surroundings — these were the morals of the light carriers in Mature Ages.

The chronicle recorded that the knight Eberhard from Monheim (bandit – stigma have no place to put!) in 1335 he began construction in Darlene stone castle: the location was perfect for defense.

But proud Semigallians did not give up, and in the early years the Germans had survived a dozen sieges. However 1288 glorious knight Guttenstein gradually conquered the whole Semigalia — Zemgale, and then similaly — semigallian went to Lithuania, and in the empty edge of peace. But since the world is fragile, and proud local people had a good memory, then in the XIV century by the knights built a stone castle of the order. The chronicle recorded that the knight Eberhard from Monheim (bandit — stigma have no place to put!) in 1335 he began construction in Darlene stone castle. The location was perfect for defence: a platform on the high right Bank of the river bērze other sides were protected by ravines. The castle was built on a plot of trapezoidal shape, in the southern part there was a chapel, which in the XVII century, was expanded and transformed into a Church.

To 1562 the castle was the rate of knight — host these regions (German — comture and thieves Fene — looking).

Haughty neighbors and their glass buildings

However, in 1562, the state Livonia ceased to exist and the castle “became the property” of the Duke of Courland. It moved relatives of the first wife on account of the Duke of Courland — Gotthard Kettler, the castle quietly privatized by law senior officer — these are then, in the late middle Ages, were the morals.

In the castle began a big restructuring. Along the Eastern wall was built two-storey residential building, to the facade a gallery was added. Under the body dug extensive cellars (now sunken in places and not fully investigated). Over time and along the remaining walls were also built small buildings.

So the castle from the military object is gradually turned into a residential and economic complex, but well protected by fortified walls. That is, after three centuries, the alien was still afraid of the local, although the local did not think to attack.

Steel attack other alien. In 1621, 1625 and 1659, the castle was possession of a good overseas neighbors the Swedes who have come to us with the light of faith, not with good pastoral discourse, and banal guns. And each time the castle was subjected to their merciless plunder and wanton destruction.

To 1710 lived here the last Manager of the castle Offenberg. He had a unique family structure — 22 daughters and 1 son. During the plague they are firmly closed at the castle, served, no one opening, so that all remained are live, while the plague mowed clean the whole Dublin and the surrounding area.

In 1729, the last inhabitants left the gloomy stone castle, and it has never lived. The surrounding people noticed it and began to slowly disassemble the walls and buildings, using stones for the construction of their homes and farm structures. Here I would need more time to pajaziti about the morals that took place in eighteenth century philosophical, Yes I will: it is clear that the morals from century to century as something not improved. In General, all that is left from the castle there is a piece of the wall at 20 meters and part of the walls of the residential building. But in a County full of good-sheds, built of boulders, styrennye from the castle walls.

Now Dobele is Latvian lovely town, which has about 15 thousand inhabitants. About because no one really knows how many labelcan here, and how many are working at the edges of the EU like the Netherlands or Ireland. Now Dobele is famous for its wheat flour and the fact that here was born the strongest man on the planet, the world champion in the absolute category weightlifter Viktor Shcherbatykh. It is noteworthy that, when Victor became the Deputy of the diet, many (myself too) took this as a symbolic arrival of the epic hero, who will protect the people from the haughty neighbors, again sailed to our shores, but not with guns, but with assets, it is not excluded that in due time from us and removed. But the current “haughty neighbor” even strong by the hands of the Victor will not take. The neighbor does not build stone castles, it was the new fashion, builds the glass — to know is not afraid of local.

Forest

Dobele and its castle is on the way to the legendary forest of Pokaiņi. The road to the forest passes through our most fertile land, much like fat from Kursk Poltava or black. They are planted with cereals and root crops, which pleases the eye. Know, in the fall homeland granaries will be full!

In the territory of Latvia was erected about 150 castles. The most interesting of them can be found on the website of Renata Rimsha, in front of a huge knowledge and ability to present them I take my hat off.

Pokaiņi forest holds many secrets, riddles and one distinct feature: the state of mind there is established on a mark of “zero” — very good by today’s conditions, I tell you. Peace rolls soft wave as soon as you step after the conductor under the canopy of the trees of this most mysterious place of Latvia and the entire Baltic region, and maybe also around the world.

The conductor spares no adjectives in the story about the energy features of “zone”, and two l-shaped wires in his arms spinning like propellers. The energy from them and sprinkles on the sides! The stones under the palms of the conductor are hot and even heated from Pruszcz bottom of the energy flow. However, under my hands they were cool, nothing to me from the depths of peyreleau not, know, I have not been honoured. Well, it happens.

Here is the hill. It leads to. She brings to the sanctuary. There you can communicate directly with the cosmos and bathe whizzing streams of earth energy. Fearing to be picked up by the stream, we saccani and began to ascend to space, and went around the hill, closer to the ground, moss, streams and ants. In pursuit of the earth’s simplicity, we were not alone. Could not walk, and sit lazily on the rocks, from beneath which pours something intangible, but useful. Otherwise why people comes here and goes for a couple thousand years. And from the space station at this place is like seeing a certain glow.

— Oh!

— What is it?

— Pret!

Where?

— From the bottom.

— Well then we have to stand up, time flooded.

To get around all the sights of the forest and to test all of the place “pen”, need about four hours to walk the hills. We baccanali again and, like normal heroes, went to bypass the hills, deciding to check in with the only stone — Mother. And here he is. Really warm. And, they say, is a useful, soothing and healing. In General, as a mother. Who says that, you ask? Yes people say they are going and come here from all over Latvia. And even from all over the States. Maybe from all over the world.

In the forest there is one absolutely undeniable and all tangible property: after walking on it much stirs up your appetite. And this is the town of Dobele, where the tavern on the Central square the food is hearty, inexpensive and tasty. By Dobele still do not pass.