On 6 March 2026, the Turaida Museum Reserve will host the international seminar “Cannon Towers in Castles”, dedicated to the evolution of medieval castles in response to the age of firearms in the 15th–17th centuries.
The program combines scholarly presentations with a practical introduction to the latest developments at Turaida Castle. This international gathering will bring together experts from Poland and Estonia, providing a unique opportunity to compare Latvian castle architecture with that of neighboring regions.
Seminar Programme: “Cannon Towers in Castles”
Date & Time: 6 March 2026 | 10:00–14:30
Venue: Turaida Parish Magazine
Guided tour of Turaida Castle | 14:30–15:30
Working Languages: Latvian and English
Opening Remarks
Jolanta Borīte, Director of Turaida Museum Reserve
Presentations
Artūrs Lapiņš, PhD Art, Architectural Research Group ( AIG SIA)
Northern Inner Gate Tower: Conservation and Interpretation Opportunities
Ieva Ose, Dr. hist., Turaida Museum Reserve
From Arrows to Cannons: Firearms Towers in Medieval Castles of Latvia in the 15th and 16th Centuries
Gregory Leighton, PhD, Medieval History, Malbork Castle Museum, Center for Post-Teutonic Order Heritage
The Reconstruction of Malbork Castle in the Context of Gunpowder and Artillery
Tõnu Sepp, Archaeologist, Museum of Saaremaa
From a Castellum into a Fortress. The Evolution of Kuressaare Castle’s Firepower
Coffee Break | 12:00–12:30
Jānis Ciglis, Head of the Archaeology Department at the National History Museum of Latvia
The Cannon Towers of Riga Castle
Ruta Garklāva, Head of the Scientific and Educational Department at Bauska Castle Museum
The 17th Century Cast Iron Cannons of Bauska Castle
Vija Stikāne, PhD, Turaida Museum Reserve
Firearms and Military Supplies in the Castles of Turaida, Krimulda, Limbaži and Piebalga in the 1564 Inventory of the Archbishopric of Riga
Ligita Beitiņa, Turaida Museum Reserve
An Insight into the Upcoming Exhibition “The History of the Northern Inner Gate Tower of Turaida Castle”
Coffee Break | 14:00–14:30
Guided Tour of Turaida Castle | 14:30
Turaida Castle was a prominent medieval Livonian stronghold and one of the most significant fortifications of the Archbishopric of Riga. As an architecturally outstanding defensive complex, it was repeatedly modernized to meet the evolving military threats of its time.
The castle’s silhouette, dominated by the 13th-century Bergfried (main tower), was augmented from the 15th century onwards with towers specifically designed for firearms. The most recent of these is the tower at the Northern Inner Gate, built in the first half of the 16th century.
In 2025, a conservation project for the foundations and first floor of the Northern Inner Gate Tower was implemented at Turaida Castle. The project was led by restoration architect Artūrs Lapiņš, PhD. Following this, an open-air exhibition detailing the tower’s history is being installed in 2026, with an artistic concept developed by the design firm “DJA”.
