Behind the Walls of Valmiera in Latvia, Valmiera, Latvia

Valmiera is not a large town, but it is the largest settlement in Vidzeme, a region of Latvia. The town is divided in two by the River Gauja. This river has served the town as both a defence and a trading route. Its port was so important during the Medieval period it became a member of the Hanseatic League. This organisation was founded by north German towns and German merchant communities abroad to protect their mutual trading interests. It dominated commercial activity in northern Europe from the 13th to the 15th century. A large mural recording this stands behind some little slope-roofed kiosks, the Hansa Lodges, that are occasionally used to host Medieval-themed markets.

Today the River Gauja is a place of enjoyment, where residents of Valmiera and its visitors can enjoy swimming in it waters and walking along its banks. It only takes five minutes from the town to reach the trails along the river. Another early defence of the town is the lake now known as Lake Dzirnavu.

In ancient times this lake was created by damning the River Rātsupīte, a tributary of the River Gauja. The dam and the sluice could be used to raise the water level during times of war. They were also used when a water mill operated on the lake from the seventeenth century until the building was demolished in1937. At the top of the lake is an interesting sculpture, Kroders Apple Tree. It was created by Aivars Vilipsons and Ivars Mikelsons in 2020 to celebrate the work of Olgerts Kroders, a theatre director who was closely associated with the Valmiera Theatre for twenty years. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).