Krustpils is the historical name of the town of Jekabpils, but nowadays it refers only to the railway station. The town was named Jekabpils in honour of its famous founder and ruler Duke Jekaba. Krustpils Castle is one of few preserved from the Middle Ages. It is in good condition state of repair, being an architectural monument of national importance.
Krustpils Castle was the furthest fortress of the Archbishop of Riga on the Daugava River. Its function was to protect and guard the eastern trade routes. In historical chronicles, the castle was first mentioned in 1318, when it was captured by the Order. It is possible that Krustpils castle (Latvian: Krustpils pils) could have existed as early as 1237. Most likely, it was founded by Nikolos of Magdeburg, who was the bishop of the Livonian Order. The castle was built on the on the right bank of the River Daugava, and it is assumed that the castle was surrounded by a moat, traces of which have not survived to this day.
In 1561 Krustpils Castle became the property of the Polish king. During its long history the castle was repeatedly subjected to sieges. Great damage was sustained during the Great Northern War. After restoration works carried out in the 18th century, the castle was enlarged. A new building with mansards on the roof was built. and Baroque towers, and the typical medieval medieval enclosed courtyard.
Since 1585, for 3 centuries, the castle was owned by the Korf family. The castle was originally given by Stefan Batory to Nicholas von Korff, who was one of the best generals in his army. The castle was transformed from a military fortress transformed into a luxurious palace.
During the World War I, although the castle was shelled, it was almost unharmed. During this period of warfare it housed artillery units of the Latgale and Zemgale regiments. At the beginning of World War II, the Krustpils Castle housed the 126th Rifle Regiment of the Red Army. In 1941, when the Germans occupied Latvia, there was a hospital here. In 1944, after the Germans retreated, the hospital became Soviet. After the end of the war, the Air Force warehouse was located here.
In 1994 the Krustpils Castle was handed over to the Jekabpils History Museum. The castle has an exhibition dedicated to its history. A collection of of propaganda materials and posters from the Soviet era.
Interesting to see will be the preserved cellars of the castle with the cross vaults. You can also climb the gate tower, which was built in the 16th and 17th centuries. The purpose of the tower was to showcase the possessions of the then owners of Krustpils Castle, the Korfs. If you wish, after the tour of the castle you can have a snack in the cafe, which is located next to the castle.
There are several legends connected with the castle. According to one legend, when the knights decided to build a fortress in the chosen place, they could not build a castle. No matter how many stones the workers put down during the day, the same number of stones the devil would scatter at night. The knights tried in every possible way to pay off: they left money, and read prayers, and put up a cross, - however, they were so sinful that they could not get rid of the devil. One sorcerer said that in order to calm the devil, you need to sacrifice a person to him. They did just that. They got one of the workers drunk and and bricked him up in the foundations of the castle's main tower. The devil stopped bothering them from that time on.
