Kuldīga combines an exceptionally well-preserved traditional urban settlement with a landscape shaped by rivers. From a small medieval hamlet, the town grew into an important administrative centre of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia. Today, the town includes the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Old Town, traces of Kuldīga Castle and the Venta Rapid.
Old Town and Water in the Cityscape
The historic centre retains narrow streets, single-storey houses with centrally positioned chimneys and red-tiled roofs. The Old Town is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Together, these features give Kuldīga a cityscape that can be appreciated not only through individual sights, but also through its street layout and house styles. The town’s landscape character is shaped by the confluence of the Venta and the smaller Alekšupīte. In the historic centre, the Alekšupīte flows right alongside the walls of many buildings: here, the smaller river runs directly beside the built-up area.
Kuldīga Castle and Historical Exhibitions
The Livonian Order built Kuldīga Castle between 1242 and 1245 on the left bank of the Venta. It served as the Order’s main fortress during the subjugation of the Couronian territories in Courland. Archaeological remains from the castle period have been preserved at the site, including a room on the first floor of the inner castle. An augmented reality installation overlays a theoretical reconstruction onto the present-day site in real time. The surviving archaeological evidence and an explicitly theoretical vision of the castle are thus presented side by side.
At Villa Bangertu, the Kuldīga District Museum presents a permanent interior exhibition about the home of a wealthy Kuldīga resident in the early 20th century. The villa also hosts changing art and history exhibitions. The castle site and the museum therefore offer different historical points of reference: the medieval fortress of the Order and its archaeological remains on the one hand, and the domestic world depicted from the early 20th century on the other.
The Venta, Walking Paths and Mārtiņsala
The Venta Rapid is Europe’s widest waterfall. It is approximately 100 to 110 metres wide and 1.8 to 2 metres high. Its approximate measurements illustrate the contrast between its great width and modest height. Well-maintained walking paths run along both banks of the Venta; their condition may vary depending on the season. The river landscape and the paths therefore offer different ways to experience the town outdoors.
Mārtiņsala is Kuldīga’s only official bathing area. It has beach volleyball courts, playgrounds, picnic and campfire areas, changing rooms and toilets. Lifeguard supervision is seasonal. A health trail with signposted health-promoting exercises also runs around Mārtiņsala. The area is accessible to people with reduced mobility and to parents with strollers. The bathing area, exercise and riverside walks thus offer different experiences rather than the same facilities.
Another Experience in the Old Town
Visumnīca is an experience space in the Old Town that combines light, sound and illusion. Visits take place in private sessions lasting 15 to 20 minutes each, with a capacity of up to six people. Its clearly defined time format differs from the broader themes of the town’s history and river landscape. When planning your trip, you can consider whether, alongside architecture and nature, a short multimedia experience also suits your interests.
Discover more destinations: Vārme, Īvande, Padure, Veldze, Ķimale, Renda, Vilgāle
Return to the main travel overview: Kuldīgas Novads.
