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The round part of the tower outside of
the defensive wall
The tower passes through the defensive wall. Its round
part is outside the wall, and the rectangular part is
inside it. Because part of the tower was outside the
defensive wall, use of firearms became more effective
and the range of aiming was broader. The advantage
of round and semi-round towers was that they were
more durable against battering rams and cannonballs.
The thickness of the walls depended on the direction of
the anticipated attack – 2.10 m toward the yard, but
2.90 m on the sides and in the rounded part.
During the Middle Ages,
passage from the yard to the
three upper floors
of the semi-circular tower involved
a balcony and a wooden staircase. The staircase could
easily be protected or destroyed as needed. Beyond the
balcony were stairs to upper floors. The stairs were
0.65 m wide and covered with a brick vault designed to
resemble a sprig of fir in herringbone bond.
The exit to the stairwell and balcony
The second floor of the tower was not linked to upper
floors during the Middle Ages. An opening was broken
into the southern wall of the second floor during the 17th
century to link it to the balcony and the stairs to the
upper floors.
The 4th and 5th floors have been restored in line with
the lower floors. Two ventilation hatches have been
installed on the 4th floor. An aperture on the southern
side shows the roof of the western defensive wall of the
castle, which is 13 m high and is covered with semi-
circular tiles.
The Large Semi-Circular Tower
Firearms became of strategic importance during the 15th century, and castles were rebuilt to deal with this situation.
During the 15th century, the large semi-circular (western tower) of the Turaida Castle was built along with the western
defensive wall. The walls in the rectangular part of the tower were finished with the so-called “Vends bond,” with two
stretchers and a header. The placement of bricks on the outside of the tower and in interior rooms was more free. The original
bricks were 9 x 15 x 30 cm in size. The nests for the scaffolding can still be seen on the walls. Restoration of the exterior
of the tower lasted between 1970 and 1974.
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