Cesis Travel Guide

Cesis is two hours from Riga by bus -- and it's a trip worth making. Home to Cesu beer and nestling in the heart of the Gauja National Park, Cesis is a quiet and relaxed little town (pop. approx 20,000) with a place in Latvian history. It was in 1279 when during a battle warriors carried a dying leader away in a white flag only to find when the body was removed the two broad swathes of maroon dried blood and the white bar formed by the dead mans body made up a standard that today make up the Latvian national flag. It's seen its fair share of conflict  both before and sincel -- the castle which is as at May 2008 undergoing renovation was built by the Knights of the Sword and more recently it also saw a turning point in the countrys struggle for freedom as in 1919 the remains of the german Landeswehr were defeating paving the way for the interwar republic. 

Its old town is well worth a wander and the town has given birth to a number of Latvian cultural figures and the 13th century Jana baznica/St. John's church with its panarama views from the tower is rewarding. Or you could always try some of the local brews from the Cesu brewery!