A new exposition with a large-format floor game has been opened in the semicircular tower of Turaida Castle / Article / LSM.lv

Today, 10:07

Authors:
LSM.lv Children’s content editing

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From October of this year, the range of expositions in Turaida Castle has been supplemented by a new exposition “Fortifications of the Stone Castle: Defense and Attack”, which modernizes the historical story of the fortifications of Turaida Castle in the 13th-16th centuries with modern means of expression and technological solutions. century, a press release informed the museum.

The exposition is located on the fourth floor of the castle semicircular tower and tells about the castle fortifications, attacks and defenses. It depicts the methods of combat and the weapons used, including various interactive elements that will be attractive to the youngest visitors of the museum reserve. The exposition provides not only information about the battles at Turaida Castle, antiquities found in archeological excavations, but also you can test your fortune in a large-format floor game or feel like a castle defender David in a computer game created especially for this exposition. For a better idea of ​​the siege methods, the exposition includes models of medieval war machines, as well as other visual information about the siege of the castle and the history of construction.

The fortifications of the medieval castle are an essential part of the castle, as it depended on whether the castle would survive the attacks, wars and various other threats, against which it is necessary to defend or close in an inaccessible place. The fortifications of Turaida Castle were built over a long period of time from the 13th to the 16th century. The main tower and perimeter walls were built in the 13th century, in the 14th century – castle gate fortifications, in the 15th century – forecourt, ditches with a drawbridge and a semicircular tower on the west wall, in the 16th century – in addition to gate protection – north gate tower. The most modern equipment of its time was used to build the fortifications.

The fortifications were regularly attacked – trebušets or paterellas were launched – large, stationary weight catapults that operated on the principle of a sling, and archballists – massive crossbows that fired with giant arrows and stones. Sometimes war tricks were used to occupy the castle by bribing the castle guards or secretly sending their soldiers to the castle. There have been cases when the resistance seemed so meaningless that the defenders of the castle succumbed to the victory even without a fight. However, at the beginning of the 16th century – at the end of the Middle Ages – Turaida Castle was one of the strongest fortresses in the lands of the Archbishop of Riga and also survived the later wars undamaged and undamaged.

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