Kuldīga Castle – Augmented Reality Stand

Kuldīga Castle (Goldingen, Iesusborc) was built on the left bank of the Venta River between 1242 and 1245 as a main stronghold for the Livonian Order in the subjugation of the Curonian territories in Courland. During the Middle Ages, it served as the castle of the Livonian Order commander, functioning as the administrative and military center of the region, and was also located along an important route from Riga to Prussia.

In 1561, following the establishment of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia, Kuldīga Castle became a ducal residence and underwent several reconstructions and renovations. The castle was destroyed and abandoned during the Great Northern War, marking the end of over 450 years of continuous history. Stones from its ruins were later used in the construction of Kuldīga houses in the 18th–19th centuries, and in the second half of the 19th century, a park was created on the castle site. Archaeological remains from the castle period have survived to this day, including the first-floor room of the inner castle.

The theoretical reconstruction of the Kuldīga Castle model is based on historical and architectural research, allowing viewers to visually appreciate its former grandeur and significance in the cityscape of Kuldīga. The terrain and the castle model have been integrated into the landscape according to previous historical, archaeological, and geophysical research.

The augmented reality format allows viewers to overlay the modern site with the theoretically reconstructed vision in real time. The virtual format enables future updates of the model according to new research findings. It also allows collaboration with other creators, enriching the model with artistic interpretations.

The augmented reality environmental model was developed as part of the author—architect Artūrs Lapiņš’s doctoral dissertation at the Latvian Academy of Arts in 2022, entitled “Medieval Castle Ruins in the Latvian Cultural Environment.”

Project author: architect Artūrs Lapiņš, Architectural Research Group Ltd. http://www.AIGsia.lv

The augmented reality environment is provided through a collaborative effort by the association Art+ https://artplus.app/, The presentation stand has been installed by the Kuldīga Municipality and can be viewed on site. ŠEIT

You can learn more about Kuldīga Castle and the history of the city https://www.kuldigasmuzejs.lv/kuldigas-vesture#kuldigas-pils

For interesting facts about the castle’s history during the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia, you can refer to the collection of articles dedicated to the history of the Duchy of Courland and Kuldīga https://www.kuldigasmuzejs.lv/kurzemes-un-zemgales-hercogiste